2005 News Releases

Magazine Names John Hancock Best in Class
in Seven Services Categories

BOSTON - John Hancock Retirement Plan Services has been recognized for its best in class services to 401(k) plans with under $5 million and to plans with between $5 million and $50 million in plan assets in PLANSPONSOR Magazine’s Annual Defined Contribution Survey of plan sponsors. For a fifth consecutive year, John Hancock (formerly Manulife Financial) has been awarded top ratings in participant services¹.

According to the survey results, published in the magazine’s November issue, John Hancock earned eight Best in Class honors in seven services categories ranging from participant communications and educational programs to accuracy and timeliness of statements and plan sponsor forms for IRS reporting.

“John Hancock is pleased by the results of the PLANSPONSOR Magazine survey, especially its findings that we are helping to set a high standard for service among larger plans, with between $5 million and $50 million in plan assets,” said Ralph Vizl, Vice President of Strategy and Research for John Hancock Retirement Plan Services. “We have long been recognized for our commitment and leadership in the small plan market. With the help of independent advisors and Third Party administrators, we are also committed to meeting the needs of mid-sized plans and those efforts have yielded very strong results.”

Paul Henry, Director of Strategic Planning and Market Research for John Hancock Retirement Plan Services added, “We are also very pleased by how positively plan sponsors have responded to our unique approach to participant communications and education. Using knowledge gained through extensive research and the experience of one of the largest professionally trained enrollment teams in the industry, John Hancock has developed a comprehensive participant program designed to appeal to all levels, making it easy and even enjoyable for employees to set achievable retirement goals and confidently plan for retirement.”

According to a plan sponsor who participated in the survey, “The materials and internet information are of a very broad range and have a great look so that employees actually read and use them.” “We are gratified to see our approach is being appreciated and embraced by our customers,” said Henry.

About John Hancock Retirement Plan Services
John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (previously Manulife) has been in the qualified retirement plan markets since the 1980s and has become the #1 Full Service provider to 401(k) plans (2005 CFO Magazine 401(k) Buyers Guide Study July 2005) "Full-service" denotes providers, including banks, insurance and mutual fund companies offering both recordkeeping and investments, as defined by CFO magazine: plans managed and asset growth based on plans inforce at December 31, 2004 (published July 2005). In recent years, John Hancock Retirement Plan Services has earned industry and consumer recognition for providing participant materials that are informative and easy to understand, offering a wide range of investment choices and delivering excellent service.

About Manulife Financial and John Hancock
John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$360 billion (US$310 billion) as at September 30, 2005. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.

Insurance products are issued by the following John Hancock insurance companies: John Hancock Life Insurance Company, John Hancock Variable Life Insurance Company*, John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)* and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York.

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*Not licensed in New York SOURCE: John Hancock Retirement Plan Services

¹ Plan Sponsor magazine’s annual survey of defined contribution providers was conducted in July and August of 2005 through a mailing to which more than 4,700 plan sponsors responded.

Laura R. Schoen
JHFS Media Relations, K-3
PH: (617) 572-4067; FAX: (617) 572-8707
lschoen@jhancock.com