The Fund pursues its primary goal by investing principally in a laddered maturity portfolio of municipal obligations issued by states and state agencies, local governments and their agencies and by United States territories and possessions. Thornburg Investment Management, Inc. (“Thornburg”) actively manages the Fund’s portfolio. Investment decisions are based upon outlooks for interest rates and securities markets, the supply of municipal debt obligations, and analysis of specific securities. The Fund invests primarily in obligations and participations in obligations which are rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of purchase as investment grade or, if unrated, are issued by obligors which Thornburg determines have comparable investment grade obligations outstanding or which are deemed by Thornburg to be comparable to obligors with outstanding investment grade obligations. The Fund may invest up to 20 percent of its net assets in lower-quality municipal debt obligations rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of purchase as below investment grade (sometimes called “junk” bonds or “high yield” bonds) or, if unrated, issued by obligors which Thornburg determines have comparable below investment grade municipal obligations outstanding or which are deemed by Thornburg to be comparable to obligors with outstanding below investment grade obligations. “Participations” are undivided interests in pools of securities where the underlying credit support passes through to the participants. The Fund’s portfolio is “laddered” by investing in obligations of different maturities so that some obligations mature during each of the coming years. As used herein, the term “net assets” includes the amount of any borrowings made by the Fund for investment purposes.

Because the magnitude of changes in value of interest-bearing obligations is greater for obligations with longer terms given an equivalent change in interest rates, the Fund seeks to reduce changes in its share value by maintaining a portfolio of investments with a dollar-weighted average maturity normally less than five years. As a result, the Fund also maintains a portfolio of investments having a dollar-weighted average effective duration of normally no more than five years. Duration is a measure of estimated sensitivity to interest rate changes. A portfolio with a longer average effective duration will typically be more sensitive to interest rate changes than a portfolio with a shorter average effective duration. Duration is commonly expressed as a number, which is the expected percentage change in an obligation’s price upon a 1% change in interest rates. For example, an obligation with a duration of 5 would be expected to change in price by approximately 5% in response to a 1% change in interest rates. During temporary periods the Fund’s portfolio maturity and average effective duration may be reduced for defensive purposes. There is no limitation on the maturity of any specific security the Fund may purchase. The Fund may dispose of any security before it matures. The Fund also attempts to reduce changes in its share value through credit analysis, selection and diversification.

The Fund ordinarily acquires and holds securities for investment rather than for realization of gains by short-term trading on market fluctuations. However, it may sell an investment prior to its scheduled maturity date to enhance income or reduce loss, to change the portfolio’s average duration or average maturity, to pursue other investment opportunities, in response to changes in the conditions or business of the investment’s issuer or changes in overall market conditions, or if, in Thornburg’s opinion, the investment no longer serves to achieve the Fund’s investment goals.  The objective of preserving capital may prevent the Fund from obtaining the highest yields available.

The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in municipal obligations, the income from which is exempt from the regular federal income tax. If the Fund owns taxable investments, some of its income would be subject to federal income tax. The Fund may invest without limit in securities that generate income subject to the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”) on individuals. Gains realized on investments held by the Fund and not offset by realized losses will be subject to federal income tax.