Dechert LLP
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July 19, 2024
Board of Trustees
Aquila Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky
Aquila Municipal Trust
120 West 45th Street, Suite 3600
New York, New York 10036
Board of Trustees
MainStay MacKay Strategic Municipal Allocation Fund
MainStay Funds Trust
51 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have requested our opinion regarding certain federal income tax consequences to Aquila Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky (the "Acquired Fund"), a separate series of Aquila Municipal Trust, a Massachusetts business trust ("AMT"), and to MainStay MacKay Strategic Municipal Allocation Fund (the "Acquiring Fund"), a separate series of MainStay Funds Trust, a Delaware statutory trust ("MainStay Funds"), and to the holders (the "Acquired Fund Shareholders") of shares of beneficial interest in the Acquired Fund (the "Acquired Fund Shares"), in connection with the transfer of substantially all of the assets, as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Agreement") dated as of July 19, 2024, executed by MainStay Funds on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and by AMT on behalf of the Acquired Fund, of the Acquired Fund (the "Assets") to the Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund (the "Acquiring Fund Shares") and the assumption of the Acquired Fund's liabilities as defined in the Agreement (the "Liabilities") by the Acquiring Fund, followed by the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares
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MainStay MacKay Strategic Municipal Allocation Fund
July 19, 2024
received by the Acquired Fund in complete liquidation and termination of the Acquired Fund (the "Reorganization"), all pursuant to the Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have examined and relied upon (1) the Agreement, (2) facts and representations contained in the letter dated on or about the date hereof addressed to us from MainStay Funds on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, (3) the facts and representations contained in the letter dated on or about the date hereof addressed to us from AMT on behalf of the Acquired Fund, and (4) such other documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of rendering this opinion.
This opinion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), United States Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings and pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service, all as in effect on the date hereof. This opinion is conditioned upon the Reorganization taking place in the manner described in the Agreement.
Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that for federal income tax purposes, with respect to the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund:
1. The transfer by the Acquired Fund of all of its Assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the Liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by the distribution of such shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders in complete liquidation of the Acquired Fund, will constitute a reorganization under Section 368(a)(1) of the Code and the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund will each be "a party to a reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
2. No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund upon the transfer of the Acquired Fund's Assets to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the Acquired Fund's Liabilities, or upon the distribution (whether actual or constructive) by the Acquired Fund of such Acquiring Fund Shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders in liquidation, except that the Acquired Fund may be required to recognize gain or loss with respect to: (A) contracts
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Aquila Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky —
MainStay MacKay Strategic Municipal Allocation Fund
July 19, 2024
described in Section 1256(b) of the Code; (B) stock in a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code; or (C) any other gain or loss required to be recognized upon the termination of a position, or upon the transfer of such asset regardless of whether such a transfer would otherwise be a nontaxable transaction under the Code;
3. No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon the receipt of the Acquired Fund's Assets solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the Acquired Fund's Liabilities;
4. No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund Shareholders upon the distribution to them by the Acquired Fund of the Acquiring Fund Shares solely in exchange for their Acquired Fund Shares as part of the Reorganization;
5. The basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by each Acquired Fund Shareholder in the Reorganization will be the same as the basis of the shareholder's Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor;
6. The basis of the Acquired Fund's Assets received by the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the basis of the Acquired Fund's Assets in the hands of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the transfer, adjusted for any gain or loss required to be recognized in paragraph (2) above;
7. The holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received by each Acquired Fund Shareholder in the Reorganization will include the period for which the shareholder held the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the shareholder held such Acquired Fund Shares as a capital asset at the time of the exchange;
8. The holding period of the Acquired Fund's Assets in the hands of the Acquiring Fund will include the period for which the Acquired Fund's Assets were held by the Acquired Fund (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating a holding period with respect to an Asset and except for any asset with
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Aquila Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky —
MainStay MacKay Strategic Municipal Allocation Fund
July 19, 2024
respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized as described in paragraph (2) above ); and
9. The Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account those tax attributes of the Acquired Fund that are described in Section 381(c) of the Code, subject to the conditions and limitations specified in the Code, the regulations thereunder, and existing court decisions and published interpretations of the Code and regulations.
We express no opinion as to the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization except as expressly set forth above, or as to any transaction except those consummated in accordance with the Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, we express no opinion as to the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization to the Acquired Fund with respect to contracts described in Section 1256(b) of the Code or stock in a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Form N-14 and to all references to our firm therein.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Dechert LLP
