Starting Jan. 11, 2010, new Standard Life Corporate Class funds will be available through authorized advisors, Standard Life Mutual Funds Ltd. announced Wednesday.

Standard Life Corporate Class offers a family of mutual funds in 17 share classes.

Corporate class funds are comprised of classes of mutual funds that are set up under the umbrella of a corporation, and they allow investors to switch between classes in a tax-efficient manner. Unlike traditional mutual funds, corporate class funds do not trigger capital gains when switching from one share class to another.

“Standard Life Mutual Funds already allow investors to build diversified portfolios comprised of some of the most promising investment opportunities from around the world,” says Denis Berthiaume, Standard Life’s senior vice president of retail markets.

“With Standard Life Corporate Class, advisors and their clients can now enjoy all the benefits of our traditional mutual fund line-up, with an added layer of tax-efficiency.”

Assets of the Standard Life Corporate Class funds are managed by Standard Life Investments Inc., a global asset management company providing institutional fund management expertise to individual investors.

The launch of Standard Life Corporate Class funds is subject to regulatory approvals.

IE