2005 News Releases

Boston– John Hancock’s U.S. College Savings division is launching a back-to-school campaign to jump start the 529 sales season, providing tools to help financial consultants talk to customers and prospects about using 529 plans to save for their children’s education.

“As kids start heading back to school, and everyone buckles down after the summer, it’s the perfect time for the college savings discussion,” said Diana Scott, Senior Vice President and General Manager of John Hancock’s U.S. College Savings division. “With all the resources in our back-to-school tool kit, we’re trying to make it easy and fun for the financial professionals who sell our 529 plan to get back into their business.”

The kit, which comes in a pencil box, offers useful tools for the college savings discussion including a slide ruler and math flash cards. The slide ruler displays projected college costs for different ages as well as the corresponding investment amount needed to meet these costs – broken out annually, monthly, or in a lump sum amount. The math flash cards contain fun facts about saving for college. The kits also contain information on Hancock’s product, the John Hancock Freedom 529, as well as back-to-school -themed giveaways such as pencils and erasers.

“We’ve found that many advisors use the 529 discussion as a way to begin building their businesses. We want producers to know we’re behind them, developing products, processes and support that will help them. The purpose of the kit is to motivate them to get started, but we really hope their experience with our producer support folks keeps them engaged with our product and our company,” said Scott.

About John Hancock Freedom 529
John Hancock Freedom 529 has more than $1 billion in assets under management, making it one of the largest five plans in the country and the #1 multi-managed plan in the U.S.* The plan offers 3 investment strategies, 19 different portfolios and 8 fund companies.

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
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$364 billion (US$297 billion) as at June 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 today 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.

*Source: Non-proprietary sold 529 plans, ranked by assets, Financial Research Corporation, December, 2004.

John Hancock Freedom 529 is a college savings plan offered by the Education Trust of Alaska, managed by T. Rowe Price, and distributed by John Hancock Distributors LLC through other broker/dealers appointed by John Hancock Distributors LLC . John Hancock Distributors LLC is a member of the NASD and is listed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). John Hancock Freedom 529 is intended to be a "qualified tuition" program under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. Investments in any of the John Hancock Freedom 529 portfolios will fluctuate with those of the underlying mutual funds and are not guaranteed by the Education Trust of Alaska, the State or the University of Alaska, the Program Manager or Manulife Financial or John Hancock.. This is not legal or tax advice. You should discuss tax implications with your legal and/or tax advisors. For more information, including a description of all fees, expenses and risks, please consult the Plan Disclosure Document and your financial consultant. Please contact 1-866-222-7498, to obtain a Plan Disclosure Document or prospectus for any of the underlying funds. The Plan Disclosure document contains complete details on investment objectives, risks, fees, charges and expenses as well as other information about the investment company which should be carefully considered. Please read the Plan Disclosure document carefully prior to investing.

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Melissa Berczuk
(617) 572-6390