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.
Credit and Counterparty The issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, counterparty to an OTC derivatives contract, or other borrower may not be able to make timely principal, interest, or settlement payments on an obligation. In this event, the issuer of a fixed-income security may have its credit rating downgraded or defaulted, which may reduce the potential for income and value of the portfolio.
Interest Rate Most securities are subject to the risk that changes in interest rates will reduce their market value.
Reinvestment Payments from debt securities may have to be reinvested in securities with lower interest rates than the original securities.
Issuer A stake in any individual security is subject to the risk that the issuer of that security performs poorly, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. Issuer-related declines may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, technological breakthroughs, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, or other factors. Additionally, certain issuers may be more sensitive to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
Fixed-Income Securities The value of fixed-income or debt securities may be susceptible to general movements in the bond market and are subject to interest-rate and credit risk.
Merger and Replacement Transition Risk for Sub-Account. It is possible that the Fund will be replaced with or merged into another investment option offered under your plan's group annuity contract. 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, the portfolio manager(s) of the affected funds will use their best efforts to manage and minimize such risks and costs.
Risk of Increase in Expenses for Sub-Account. Your actual costs of investing in the fund may be higher than the expenses shown in "Annual fund operating expenses" for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if a fee limitation is changed or terminated or if average net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.
Stabilizing Agreement/Wrap Provider Risk. The trustee of a stable value fund and/or the manager or sponsor of the underlying investments of a stable value fund typically endeavor to maintain one or more Stabilizing Agreements (also known as a Wrap Agreement) with Stability Provider(s) (also known as Wrap Providers) in an attempt to maintain the book value of the fund or the underlying investments. The obligations of each Stability Provider are general, unsecured obligations of such Stability Provider. Default by a Stability Provider could result in participant withdrawals from the fund at less than book value. The fund expects that the use of Stabilizing Agreements will (when combined with any benefit responsive contracts and short-term investments held as underlying investments), under most circumstances, permit the fund to pay all withdrawals from the fund at book value. However, the default of a Stability Provider and an inability to obtain a replacement Stabilizing Agreement could render the fund unable to pay withdrawals at book value. Thus, the ability of a stable value fund to pay withdrawals at book value depends on the ability of the Stability Provider(s) to make payments under the Stabilizing Agreements.