MainStay Funds Income Tax Information Notice

The information contained in this brochure is being furnished to shareholders of the MainStay Funds for informational purposes only. Please consult your own tax advisor, who will be most familiar with your own circumstances and the laws of your home state, to determine how to report this information on your tax returns. If, however, you have any questions about

your account, please call MainStay Shareholder Services toll-free at

800-MAINSTAY (624-6782)

MainStay Funds Income Tax

Information Notice

Calendar Year 2012

The MainStay Funds are managed by New York Life Investment Management LLC and distributed through NYLIFE Distributors LLC, 169 Lackawanna Avenue, Parsippany, NJ 07054, a wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company. NYLIFE Distributors LLC is a Member FINRA/SIPC.

MainStay Investments is a service mark and name under which New York Life Investment Management LLC does business. MainStay Investments, an indirect subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, New York, NY 10010, provides investment advisory products and services.

NYLIM-28692 MS249-12

MS34-01/13 00090477

This brochure contains important tax information.

Please keep it for your records.

MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund, MainStay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund, and MainStay Tax Free Bond Fund

Calendar Year 2012

Federal Tax Reporting:

For the calendar year 2012, a majority of the dividends from net investment income paid to shareholders of MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund and MainStay Tax Free Bond Fund are tax-exempt dividends that are treated as interest exempt from federal income taxes under section 103(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, the Funds, as discussed in the prospectus, earned taxable income due to market discount on securities held in the Funds' portfolios during the year. This income and your federally tax-exempt dividends are reported to you on your 1099-DIV tax form. Although the exempt portion of the dividends is exempt from federal income taxation, you must report the total amount of your federally tax-exempt dividends on line 8b of IRS Form 1040.

Alternative Minimum Tax:

Tax-exempt dividends derived from private activity bonds are not taxable for most investors. If you are subject to the Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT), dividends received from these bonds are considered a tax preference. The percentage of income subject to AMT that MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund paid to shareholders for the calendar year 2012 is 5.5%. The percentage of income subject to AMT that MainStay Tax Free Bond Fund paid to shareholders for the calendar year 2012 is 2.5%. You should multiply this percentage by the total income dividends you received to determine AMT income for the year.

State Tax Reporting:

Depending on your state's/jurisdiction's tax laws, you may be able to exempt the interest income earned by a fund on securities issued by your state/ jurisdiction. You should check with your state/local tax office to determine the exact requirements. The tables below show the percentage of each Fund's dividend earned from securities of each state/jurisdiction. This percentage should be multiplied by the amount of tax-exempt dividends as reported on your 1099-DIV, Box 10.

MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund

State

Percentage

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas

4.7% 0.7% 1.3% 0.3% 15.9% 2.4% 0.3% 0.1% 1.3% 3.0% 0.8% 2.8% 0.1% 0.0% 1.9% 3.9% 2.6% 0.3%

State

Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota

Percentage

0.3% 1.5% 0.1% 1.2% 1.4% 5.7% 0.4% 0.2% 1.4% 0.0% 1.7% 1.1% 0.6% 6.2% 0.0% 4.9% 0.0% 0.0%

State

Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Virgin Islands Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Percentage

5.7% 1.1% 0.2% 6.3% 0.3% 1.4% 0.2% 0.0% 0.1% 10.1% 0.4% 0.3% 2.6% 0.1% 0.7% 0.5% 0.7% 0.2%

None of the tax-exempt dividends from MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund qualifies for an exemption in California, Minnesota, and New Jersey due to state restrictions.

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MainStay Tax Free Bond Fund

State

Percentage

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas

1.2% 0.0 0.7 0.0 27.6 1.5 1.3 0.0 0.4 3.2 2.0 0.2 0.7 0.0 1.9 1.6 0.0 0.3

State

Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota

Percentage

0.3% 4.8 0.0 0.0 3.4 7.5 0.0 0.9 0.6 0.0 1.4 0.5 0.1 7.8 0.0 5.8 0.7 0.5

State

Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Virgin Islands Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Percentage

1.9% 0.0 0.0 3.3 1.0 0.1 1.1 0.0 1.6 10.5 0.2 0.1 0.0 2.2 0.1 0.0 0.8 0.2

None of the tax-exempt dividends from MainStay Tax Free Bond Fund qualifies for an exemption in California, Minnesota, and New Jersey due to state restrictions.

MainStay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund The information below summarizes the percentage of exempt interest income received by MainStay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund. These percentages may be useful in completing your state tax return. In addition, the percentage of income that represents a tax preference item (relating to taxexempt interest income from certain private activity bonds) for federal Alternative Minimum Tax ("AMT") purposes is also included. Your portion of the exempt-interest income has been included on your Form 1099-DIV. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisor concerning the application of this information.

Fund Name MainStay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund

Primary State

New York

Primary State %

86.9%

U.S. Territories & Possessions %

13.1%

Other States %

0.0%

Total % 100.0%

AMT % 2.0%

Information Specific to New York Shareholders The Fund's dividends are generally expected to be exempt from federal and New York state and, in some cases, New York local income tax.

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Foreign Tax Information

Calendar Year 2012

Certain income earned by MainStay 130/30 International Fund, MainStay Epoch Global Choice Fund, MainStay Epoch International Small Cap Fund, MainStay ICAP Global Fund, MainStay ICAP International Fund, and MainStay International Equity Fund is withheld as income taxes by the countries in which it is earned. Whenever possible, the Funds intend to pass these foreign tax payments on to shareholders in the form of a foreign tax credit or payment.

Included on your Form 1099-DIV for the Fund is your proportionate amount of foreign taxes paid (Box 6). You may claim this amount either as an itemized deduction on Schedule A of Form 1040 or as a foreign tax credit on Form 1116. We suggest that you consult a tax advisor to determine which method is more appropriate for you.

If you choose to take a foreign tax credit, you may be eligible to use the simplified method of reporting your credit directly on Form 1040, line 47 if you owned the shares for more than 15 days before or after the Fund's ex-dividend date and meet the following Internal Revenue Service (IRS) criteria:

* Your foreign income was from passive sources only, such as dividends and interest.

* The total of your foreign taxes paid from all sources does not exceed $300 ($600 for a joint return).

The table below will assist you in completing Form 1116 if you are not eligible for the simplified reporting method. If you are required to report foreign taxes paid by country, multiply the amount in Box 6 of Form 1099-DIV by each country's tax factor in the table below.

Because of lower U.S. tax rates on qualified dividends, special rules apply in determining the foreign tax credit limitation for qualified dividend income. Please consult your tax advisor regarding the appropriate treatment of foreign source income. MainStay 130/30 International Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 98.85%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 95.04%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Australia Austria Belgium Bermuda Brazil Cayman Islands China Columbia Cyprus Denmark Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guernsey, C.I. Hong Kong Hungary India Isle of Man Israel Italy Japan Jersey, C.I. Korea, Republic of Malaysia Mexico

Source of Income

0.00% 0.00 0.00 1.17 0.00 1.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.01 0.00

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

13.70% 0.85 0.61 0.00 0.46 0.00 0.86 0.12 0.19 0.94 0.09 0.85 7.87 6.32 19.52 0.38 0.00 1.03 0.05 0.20 0.00 0.80 3.66 17.55 0.00 0.91 0.00 0.03

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

13.70% 0.85 0.61 1.17 0.46 1.67 0.86 0.12 0.19 0.94 0.09 0.85 7.87 6.32 19.52 0.38 0.07 1.03 0.05 0.20 0.01 0.80 3.66 17.55 0.10 0.91 0.01 0.03

Tax Factor

2.10% 1.81 1.30 0.00 0.23 0.00 1.22 0.00 0.00 1.99 0.00 1.81 16.35 10.85 0.00 1.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.68 7.76 17.37 0.00 2.15 0.00 0.00

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MainStay 130/30 International Fund-cont'd

Country Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Russian Federation Singapore South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Turkey

Total Foreign

Source of Income

0.00% 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

4.96%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

3.43% 0.49 2.02 0.51 0.26 0.00 0.46 2.94 0.73 6.45 0.18 0.42 0.16

95.04%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

3.43% 0.49 2.02 0.51 0.26 1.93 0.46 2.94 0.73 6.45 0.18 0.42 0.16

100.00%

Tax Factor

7.28% 1.04 7.14 1.07 0.58 0.00 0.44 1.85 1.52 9.81 0.51 0.60 0.21

100.00%

MainStay Epoch Global Choice Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 63.26%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 82.60%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Belgium Bermuda France Germany Great Britain Israel Jersey, C.I. Luxembourg Taiwan Virgin Islands, British Total Foreign

Source of Income

0.00% 13.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.40%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

4.92% 0.00 12.18 9.39 35.94 4.88 0.00 10.96 3.56 0.76 82.60%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

4.92% 13.09 12.18 9.39 35.94 4.88 4.31 10.96 3.56 0.76 100.00%

Tax Factor

9.97% 0.00 24.54 18.82 0.00 14.61 0.00 22.22 9.63 0.00 99.79%

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MainStay Epoch International Small Cap Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 100%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 87.68%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Australia Austria Belgium Bermuda Brazil Canada Cayman Islands China Denmark France Germany Great Britain Hong Kong Ireland Isle of Man Italy Japan Korea, Republic of Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Philippines Spain Switzerland Taiwan

Source of Income

0.00% 0.00 0.00 5.99 0.00 0.00 4.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

12.32%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

4.54% 1.13 4.97 0.00 2.47 5.22 0.00 0.27 0.98 7.12 4.35 25.11 1.36 0.46 0.00 3.88 11.45 1.89 0.54 4.72 0.89 0.49 0.31 3.30 2.25

87.68%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

4.54% 1.13 4.97 5.99 2.47 5.22 4.07 0.27 0.98 7.12 4.35 25.11 1.36 0.46 2.26 3.88 11.45 1.89 0.54 4.72 0.89 0.49 0.31 3.30 2.25

100.00%

Tax Factor

3.37% 2.40 3.00 0.00 3.07 11.03 0.00 0.38 2.07 14.49 9.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.98 11.29 4.95 1.14 9.98 3.12 2.05 0.66 3.49 6.34

100.00%

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MainStay ICAP Global Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 62.28%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 95.02%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Brazil Canada China France Germany Great Britain Hong Kong Ireland Italy Japan Korea, Republic of Netherlands Norway Portugal Singapore Spain Switzerland

Total Foreign

Source of Income

0.00% 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.98 0.00 0.00

4.98%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

3.14% 1.25 1.03 11.40 3.52 16.51 0.62 2.07 9.81 18.86 0.41 2.47 2.60 5.52 0.00 2.29 13.52

95.02%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

3.14% 1.25 1.03 11.40 3.52 16.51 0.62 2.07 9.81 18.86 0.41 2.47 2.60 5.52 4.98 2.29 13.52

100.00%

Tax Factor

4.95% 2.16 1.18 20.97 6.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 16.91 15.17 0.79 1.03 7.46 9.51 0.00 2.20 11.60

100.00%

MainStay ICAP International Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 99.99%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 95.68%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Brazil Canada Cayman Islands China France Germany Great Britain Hong Kong Italy Japan Korea, Republic of Netherlands Norway Portugal Singapore Spain Switzerland

Total Foreign

Source of Income

0.00% 0.00 1.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.16 0.00 0.00

4.32%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

1.78% 3.22 0.00 0.72 17.76 8.76 18.67 1.21 8.29 14.64 0.39 2.85 2.32 2.83 0.00 3.27 8.95

95.68%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

1.78% 3.22 1.16 0.72 17.76 8.76 18.67 1.21 8.29 14.64 0.39 2.85 2.32 2.83 3.16 3.27 8.95

100.00%

Tax Factor

2.70% 5.29 0.00 0.79 28.72 14.39 0.00 0.00 13.62 11.22 0.71 1.22 6.34 4.65 0.00 3.15 7.20

100.00%

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MainStay International Equity Fund To calculate foreign source income, multiply the amount in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by 99.51%. To calculate foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by the Gross Income from Foreign Sources % provided above.

To calculate qualified foreign source income, multiply foreign source income by the Foreign Qualified Dividend Income Total % provided above of 85.15%. To calculate qualified foreign source income by country, multiply foreign source income by each country's Foreign Qualified Dividend Income % provided above.

Country

Australia Bermuda Brazil Canada China Czech Republic Denmark France Germany Great Britain India Israel Japan Jersey, C.I. South Africa Sweden Switzerland Thailand Total Foreign

Source of Income

0.00% 10.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.85%

Foreign Qualified Dividend Income

4.21% 0.00 2.09 5.66 2.05 2.97 4.95 3.22 9.94 23.21 0.22 3.73 7.25 0.00 1.15 11.80 1.27 1.44 85.15%

Gross Income from Foreign Sources

4.21% 10.28 2.09 5.66 2.05 2.97 4.95 3.22 9.94 23.21 0.22 3.73 7.25 4.56 1.15 11.80 1.27 1.44 100.00%

Tax Factor

0.00% 0.00 0.32 11.15 2.69 5.86 9.76 6.02 19.30 0.00 0.00 10.60 6.66 0.00 0.00 23.25 2.50 1.89 100.00%

U.S. Government Obligations Investments

Calendar Year 2012

Many state and local municipalities allow taxpayers to exclude from their state taxable income the portion of their mutual fund dividends derived from direct obligations of the U.S. government. The table below provides the percentage of each respective Fund's ordinary distribution derived from such obligations that may be of use to you depending on the tax laws prescribed within your individual state or local taxing authority. The appropriate percentage from Column A should be applied to the total dividends reported to you in Box 1a of Form 1099-DIV.

Fund

MainStay Balanced Fund MainStay Cash Reserves Fund MainStay Equity Index Fund MainStay Flexible Bond Opportunities Fund MainStay Floating Rate Fund MainStay Government Fund MainStay Income Builder Fund

COLUMN A U.S. Government Income

7.1% 3.3 0.1 0.2 0.1 7.3 1.0

Fund

MainStay Indexed Bond Fund Mainstay Intermediate Term Bond Fund MainStay Money Market Fund Mainstay Principal Preservation Fund MainStay S&P 500 Index Fund MainStay Short Term Bond Fund

COLUMN A U.S. Government Income

12.6 3.8 14.3 13.2 0.2 19.7

None of the Funds listed above met the minimum state portfolio holding requirements which allow shareholders in California, Connecticut, and New York to exclude from state and local taxes that portion of income dividends paid by the Fund derived from federal obligations.

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