Allocating assets to only one or a small number of the investment options (other than the Target Date ‘Lifecycle’ or Target Risk ‘Lifestyle’ options) should not be considered a balanced investment program. In particular, allocating assets to a small number of options concentrated in particular business or market sectors will subject your account to increased risk and volatility. Examples of business or market sectors where this risk may be particularly high include: a) technology-related businesses, including Internet-related businesses, b) small-cap securities and c) foreign securities. John Hancock does not provide advice regarding appropriate investment allocations.
Defaulted Debt Risk. Investing in defaulted debt securities is speculative and involves substantial risks in addition to those of non-defaulted high-yield securities. Defaulted debt securities generally do not generate interest payments. Principal on defaulted debt might not be repaid, and a fund could lose up to its entire investment.
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the average maturity or duration of the bonds held by a fund, the more sensitive it will likely be to interest-rate fluctuations. An issuer may not make all interest payments or repay all or any of the principal borrowed. Changes in a security’s credit quality may adversely affect fund performance.
Warrants Risk. The prices of warrants may not precisely reflect the prices of their underlying securities. Warrant holders do not receive dividends or have voting or credit rights. A warrant ceases to have value if not exercised prior to its expiration date.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities Risk. Illiquid and restricted securities may be difficult to value and may involve greater risks than liquid securities. Illiquidity may have an adverse impact on a particular security’s market price and the fund’s ability to sell the security.
Sector Risk. When a fund focuses its investments in certain sectors of the economy, its performance may be driven largely by sector performance and could fluctuate more widely than if the fund were invested more evenly across sectors.
Lifecycle Risk. Managers might not correctly predict market or economic conditions, and you could lose money even close to, during, or after the Fund’s designated retirement year.
Credit and Counterparty Risk. The issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, the counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract, or a borrower of a fund securities may not make timely payments or otherwise honor its obligations. U.S. government securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk depending upon the nature of their support. A downgrade or default affecting any of a fund’s securities could affect the fund’s performance.
SVGI Risk. While SVGI carries relatively low risk, there are some risks associated with the SVGI group annuity contract, including, but not limited to: (1) the risk that John Hancock Life Insurance Company (USA)will default on its obligations under the contract or that other events could render the contract invalid; (2) the risk that the contract is terminated and, as a result, payments from the contract are subject to a negative market value adjustment or are paid over an extended period of time, depending on the terms of the particular contract; or (3) the risk that certain withdrawals and transfers may be subject to payment restrictions, withdrawal charges or negative market value adjustments.
Fund of Funds Risk. The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective will depend largely, in part, on: (i) the underlying funds’ performance, expenses and ability to meet their investment objectives; and (ii) properly rebalancing assets among underlying funds and different asset classes. There is no assurance that either the Fund or the underlying funds will achieve their investment objectives. A fund bears underlying fund expenses indirectly.
Value Investment Risk. Value stocks may underperform the market as a whole, which may cause value-oriented funds to underperform equity funds with other investment strategies. Securities the manager believes are undervalued may never perform as expected.
Small and Mid-Sized Company Risk. Small and mid-sized companies are generally less established and may be more volatile than larger companies. Small and/or mid-capitalization securities may underperform the market as a whole.
Initial Public Offerings Risk. IPO share prices are frequently volatile and may significantly impact fund performance.
Hedging, Derivatives, and Other Strategic Transactions Risk. Hedging, derivatives, and other strategic transactions may increase a fund’s volatility and could produce disproportionate losses, potentially more than the fund’s principal investment. Risks of these transactions are different from and possibly greater than risks of investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments. Under certain market conditions, derivatives could become harder to value or sell and may become subject to liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions). Derivatives and other strategic transactions that the fund intends to utilize include: credit default swaps, foreign currency forward contracts, futures contracts, interest-rate swaps, and options. Foreign currency forward contracts, futures contracts, options, and swaps generally are subject to counterparty risk. In addition, swaps may be subject to interest-rate and settlement risk, and the risk of default of the underlying reference obligation. Derivatives associated with foreign currency transactions are subject to currency risk.
Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may decline due to changes in a company’s financial condition or overall market conditions. Securities the manager believes are undervalued may never realize their full potential value, and in certain markets value stocks may underperform the market as a whole.
Economic and Market Events Risk. Events in the U.S. and global financial markets, including actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in unusually high market volatility, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed-income markets could adversely affect issuers worldwide. Banks and financial services companies could suffer losses if interest rates rise or economic conditions deteriorate.
Preferred and Convertible Securities Risk. Preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board. Preferred stock may be subject to redemption provisions. The market values of convertible securities tend to fall as interest rates rise and rise as interest rates fall. Convertible preferred stock's value can depend heavily upon the underlying common stock's value.
Liquidity Risk. The extent (if at all) to which a security may be sold or a derivative position closed without negatively impacting its market value may be impaired by reduced market activity or participation, legal restrictions, or other economic and market impediments.
Merger and Replacement Transition Risk for Sub-Account. Once the plan fiduciary has been notified and unless they elect otherwise, in the case of fund mergers and replacements, the affected funds that are being merged or replaced may implement the redemption of your interest by payment in cash or by distributing assets in kind. In either case, the redemption of your interest by the affected fund, as well as the investment of the redemption proceeds by the "new" fund, may result in transaction costs to the funds because the affected funds may find it necessary to sell securities and the "new" funds will find it necessary to invest the redemption proceeds. Also, the redemption and reinvestment processes, including any transition period that may be involved in completing such mergers and replacements, could be subject to market gains or losses, including those from currency exchange rates. The transaction costs and potential market gains or losses could have an impact on the value of your investment in the affected fund and in the "new" fund, and such market gains or losses could also have an impact on the value of any existing investment that you or other investors may have in the "new" fund. Although there can be no assurances that all risks can be eliminated, John Hancock Trust Company as manager of the underlying funds will use its best efforts to manage and minimize such risks and costs.
Large Company Risk. Larger companies may grow more slowly than smaller companies or be slower to respond to business developments. Large-capitalization securities may underperform the market as a whole.
Lower-Rated and High-Yield Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Lower-rated and high-yield fixed-income securities (junk bonds) are subject to greater credit quality risk, risk of default, and price volatility than higher-rated fixed-income securities, may be considered speculative, and can be difficult to resell.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are subject to different combinations of prepayment, extension, interest-rate, and other market risks. Factors that impact the value of these securities include interest rate changes, the reliability of available information, credit quality or enhancement, and market perception.
Foreign Securities Risk. Less information may be publicly available regarding foreign issuers. Foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes and may be more volatile than U.S. securities. Currency fluctuations and political and economic developments may adversely impact the value of foreign securities.
Cybersecurity and Operational Risk. Cybersecurity breaches may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause a fund or its service providers to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Similar incidents affecting issuers of a fund’s securities may negatively impact performance. Operational risk may arise from human error, error by third parties, communication errors, or technology failures, among other causes.
Target Allocation Risk. The Fund’s risk profile will change due to reallocation or rebalancing of portfolio assets as the fund approaches its target date.
Emerging-Market Risk. The risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified in emerging markets. Emerging-market countries may experience higher inflation, interest rates, and unemployment and greater social, economic, and political uncertainties than more developed countries.