Hartford Mutual Funds Inc.

02/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/26/2026 12:15

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company (Form 497K)

February 27, 2026
Summary Prospectus
The Hartford Balanced Income Fund  
Class A
Class C
Class I
Class R3
Class R4
Class R5
Class R6
Class Y
Class F
HBLAX
HBLCX
HBLIX
HBLRX
HBLSX
HBLTX
HBLVX
HBLYX
HBLFX
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at http://www.hartfordfunds.com/prospectuses.html. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-888-843-7824 or request a copy of the prospectus by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. The Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information dated February 27, 2026, each as may be amended, supplemented or restated, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. The Fund's statement of additional information may be obtained, free of charge, in the same manner as the Fund's prospectus.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE. The Fund seeks to provide current income with growth of capital as a secondary objective.
YOUR EXPENSES. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information regarding whether you may be required to pay a brokerage commission or other fees. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain classes of Hartford mutual funds or in The Hartford® SMART529® College Savings Plan. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the "How Sales Charges Are Calculated" section beginning on page 103 of the Fund's statutory prospectus. Descriptions of any financial intermediary specific sales charge waivers and discounts are set forth in Appendix A to the statutory prospectus.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): 
Share Classes
A
C
I
R3
R4
R5
R6
Y
F
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed
on purchases (as a percentage of
offering price)
5.50%
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load)
(as a percentage of purchase price or
redemption proceeds, whichever is less)
None(1)
1.00%
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment): 
Share Classes
A
C
I
R3
R4
R5
R6
Y
F
Management fees
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
0.53%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees
0.25%
1.00%
None
0.50%
0.25%
None
None
None
None
Other expenses
0.11%
0.12%
0.13%
0.24%
0.18%
0.14%
0.03%
0.14%
0.03%
Total annual fund operating expenses
0.89%
1.65%
0.66%
1.27%
0.96%
0.67%
0.56%
0.67%
0.56%
(1)
Investments of $250,000 or more will not be subject to a front-end sales charge, but may be subject to a 0.50% contingent deferred sales charge.
Example. The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as shown below, redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that:
Your investment has a 5% return each year
The Fund's operating expenses remain the same
You reinvest all dividends and distributions.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be: 
Share Classes
Year 1
Year 3
Year 5
Year 10
A
$636
$818
$1,016
$1,586
C
$268
$520
$897
$1,955
I
$67
$211
$368
$822
R3
$129
$403
$697
$1,534
R4
$98
$306
$531
$1,178
R5
$68
$214
$373
$835
R6
$57
$179
$313
$701
Y
$68
$214
$373
$835
F
$57
$179
$313
$701
If you did not redeem your shares:
C
$168
$520
$897
$1,955
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 90% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a mix of equity securities and fixed income investments. Under normal circumstances, the Fund targets an allocation of approximately 45% equity securities and 55% fixed income investments, with the allocation generally varying by no more than +/-5%. Allocation decisions within these bands are at the discretion of the Fund's sub-adviser, Wellington Management Company LLP ("Wellington Management"), and are based on Wellington Management's judgment of the projected investment environment for financial assets, relative fundamental values, the attractiveness of each asset category, and expected future returns of each asset category. The equity portion of the Fund invests primarily in common stocks with a history of above-average dividends or expectations of increasing dividends. The equity portion of the Fund may invest in a broad range of market capitalizations, but generally invests in companies with market capitalizations above $2 billion. The fixed income portion of the Fund may invest in various types of debt securities, but primarily invests in investment grade corporate bonds. The Fund may invest up to 25% of the equity portion of the portfolio in the securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar securities. The Fund may invest up to 20% of the fixed income portion of the portfolio in domestic non-investment grade debt (also known as "junk bonds"). The Fund may also invest up to 25% of the fixed income portion of the portfolio in non-US dollar denominated debt and up to 20% of the fixed income portion of the portfolio in emerging market debt securities. The Fund may invest in debt securities of any maturity or duration. The Fund may invest in certain restricted securities, such as securities that are only eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, and securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are issued pursuant to Regulation S. The fixed income portfolio manager may allocate a portion of the Fund's assets to specialists within Wellington Management who implement the individual sector and security selection strategies.
The Fund may use derivatives, such as interest rate futures, bond futures, swaps, and currency forwards, for risk management purposes, in pursuit of the Fund's investment objective, and/or to equitize cash.
PRINCIPAL RISKS. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. When you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you could lose money as a result of your investment. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Risk -  Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. Securities of a company may decline in value due to its financial prospects and activities, including certain operational impacts, such as data breaches and cybersecurity attacks. Securities may also decline in value due to general market and economic movements and trends, including adverse changes to credit markets, or as a result of other events (or threat thereof), such as geopolitical events, natural disasters, or widespread pandemics (such as COVID-19) or other adverse public health developments.
Asset Allocation Risk -  The risk that if the Fund's strategy for allocating assets among different asset classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with similar investment strategies.
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Equity Risk -  The risk that the price of equity or equity related securities may decline due to changes in a company's financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.
Credit Risk -  Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security or other instrument will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer's financial strength, credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund's investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. Periods of market volatility may increase credit risk.
Interest Rate Risk -  The risk that your investment may go down in value when interest rates rise, because when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds and fixed rate loans fall. A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policies and inflation rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a bond or fixed rate loan, the more sensitive it is to this risk. Falling interest rates also create the potential for a decline in the Fund's income. These risks are greater during periods of rising inflation. Volatility in interest rates and in fixed income markets may increase the risk that the Fund's investment in fixed income securities will go down in value. Actions taken by the Federal Reserve Board or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, such as decreases or increases in short-term interest rates, may adversely affect markets, which could, in turn, negatively impact Fund performance.
Active Investment Management Risk -  The risk that, if the sub-adviser's investment strategy, including allocating assets to specialist portfolio managers, does not perform as expected, the Fund could underperform its peers or lose money. The investment styles employed by the specialist portfolio managers may not be complementary, which could adversely affect the performance of the Fund. Although the sub-adviser considers several factors when making investment decisions, the sub-adviser may not evaluate every factor prior to investing in a company or issuer, and the sub-adviser may determine that certain factors are more significant than others.
Dividend Risk -  Income provided by the Fund may be affected by changes in the dividend policies of the companies in which the Fund invests and the capital resources available for such payments at such companies. At times, the performance of dividend-paying companies may lag the performance of other companies or the broader market as a whole. In addition, the dividend payments of the companies in which the Fund invests may vary over time, and there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend at all.
Value Investing Style Risk -  Using a value investing style to select investments involves special risks. Overlooked or otherwise undervalued securities entail a significant risk of never attaining their potential value or may even be overpriced. Also, the value investing style may over time go in and out of favor. At times when the value investing style is out of favor, the Fund may underperform other equity funds that use different investing styles. "Value" securities can be undervalued by the market for long periods of time.
Foreign Investments Risk -  Investments in foreign securities may be riskier, more volatile, and less liquid than investments in U.S. securities. Differences between the U.S. and foreign regulatory regimes and securities markets, including the less stringent investor protection, less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards of some foreign markets, as well as political and economic developments in foreign countries and regions and the U.S. (including the imposition of sanctions, tariffs, or other governmental restrictions), may affect the value of the Fund's foreign investments. Changes in currency exchange rates may also adversely affect the Fund's foreign investments.
Currency Risk -  The risk that the value of the Fund's investments in foreign securities or currencies will be affected by the value of the applicable currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency or foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the investment increases in value in its local market. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the revenue earned by issuers of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer's local currency.
Restricted Securities Risk -  Restricted securities are subject to the risk that they may be difficult to sell at the time and price the Fund prefers.
Derivatives Risk -  Derivatives are instruments whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund's original investment. Successful use of derivative instruments by the Fund depends on the sub-adviser's judgment with respect to a number of factors and the Fund's performance could be worse and/or more volatile than if it had not used these instruments. In addition, the fluctuations in the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly with the value of any portfolio assets being hedged, the performance of the asset class to which the sub-adviser seeks exposure, or the overall securities markets.
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Forward Currency Contracts Risk -  A forward currency contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set price on a future date. The market value of a forward currency contract fluctuates with changes in foreign currency exchange rates. While forward foreign currency exchange contracts do not eliminate fluctuations in the value of foreign securities, they do allow the Fund to establish a fixed rate of exchange for a future point in time. Use of such contracts, therefore, can have the effect of reducing returns and minimizing opportunities for gain. The Fund could also lose money when the contract is settled. The Fund's gains from its positions in forward foreign currency contracts may accelerate and/or recharacterize the Fund's income or gains and its distributions to shareholders as ordinary income. The Fund's losses from such positions may also recharacterize the Fund's income and its distributions to shareholders and may cause a return of capital to Fund shareholders. Such acceleration or recharacterization could affect an investor's tax liability.
Futures and Options Risk -  Futures and options may be more volatile than direct investments in the securities underlying the futures and options, may not correlate perfectly to the underlying securities, may involve additional costs, and may be illiquid. Futures and options also may involve the use of leverage as the Fund may make a small initial investment relative to the risk assumed, which could result in losses greater than if futures or options had not been used. Futures and options are also subject to the risk that the other party to the transaction may default on its obligation.
Swaps Risk -  A swap is a contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterparty defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). Certain swaps may also be considered illiquid. It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Leverage Risk -  Certain transactions, such as the use of derivatives, may give rise to leverage. Leverage can increase market exposure, increase volatility in the Fund, magnify investment risks, and cause losses to be realized more quickly. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions to satisfy its obligations when it may not be advantageous to do so.
Event Risk -  Event risk is the risk that corporate issuers may undergo restructurings, such as mergers, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, or similar events financed by increased debt. As a result of the added debt, the credit quality and market value of a company's bonds and/or other debt securities may decline significantly.
Large Shareholder Transaction Risk -  The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders redeem or purchase large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such redemptions may cause the Fund to sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so or borrow money (at a cost to the Fund), which may negatively impact the Fund's performance and liquidity. Similarly, large purchases may adversely affect the Fund's performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs.
The Fund is subject to certain other risks. For more information regarding risks and investments, please see "Additional Information Regarding Investment Strategies and Risks" and "More Information About Risks" in the Fund's statutory prospectus.
PAST PERFORMANCE. The performance information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Keep in mind that past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results. Updated performance information is available at hartfordfunds.com. The returns for the Fund in the bar chart and table:
Assume reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
Reflect fee waivers and/or expense limitation arrangements, if any. Absent any applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitation arrangements, performance would have been lower.
The bar chart:
Shows how the Fund's total return has varied from year to year
Returns do not include sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would have been lower
Shows the returns of Class A shares. Returns for the Fund's other classes differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.
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Total returns by calendar year (excludes sales charges)
  
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Returns
Quarter Ended
Best Quarter Return
10.42%
June 30, 2020
Worst Quarter Return
-11.81%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns. The table below shows returns for the Fund over time compared to those of the Fund's blended benchmark, the indices that comprise the blended benchmark, and the Fund's regulatory index. The blended benchmark serves as the Fund's performance index because the Fund's investment manager believes it is more representative of the Fund's investment strategy. The blended benchmark is calculated by Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC. The Russell 1000 Index serves as the Fund's regulatory index and provides a broad measure of market performance. After-tax returns, which are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes, are shown only for Class A shares and will vary for other classes. Actual after-tax returns, which depend on an investor's particular tax situation, may differ from those shown and are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Average annual total returns for periods ending December 31, 2025 (including sales charges) 
Share Classes
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A -  Return Before Taxes
4.67%
3.66%
6.06%
-  Return After Taxes on Distributions
1.62%
1.65%
4.36%
-  Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
2.87%
2.19%
4.25%
Share Classes (Return Before Taxes)
Class C
8.87%
4.03%
5.86%
Class I
11.01%
5.09%
6.92%
Class R3
10.34%
4.44%
6.28%
Class R4
10.75%
4.76%
6.60%
Class R5
10.98%
5.05%
6.90%
Class R6
11.09%
5.17%
7.01%
Class Y
11.04%
5.05%
6.92%
Class F*
11.19%
5.17%
7.01%
45% Russell 1000 Value Index/ 44% Bloomberg US Corporate Index/ 5.5% JP Morgan
Emerging Markets Bond Index Plus/ 5.5% Bloomberg US High Yield - 2% Issuer Cap Index
11.74%
5.29%
6.85%
Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.91%
11.33%
10.53%
Bloomberg US Corporate Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
7.77%
-0.09%
3.27%
JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Plus (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or
taxes)
12.38%
-0.82%
2.66%
Bloomberg US High Yield - 2% Issuer Cap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses
or taxes)
8.62%
4.50%
6.52%
Russell 1000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
17.37%
13.59%
14.59%
*
Class F shares commenced operations on February 28, 2017 and performance prior to that date is that of the Fund's Class I shares. Performance prior to the inception date of Class F has not been adjusted to reflect the operating expenses of Class F.
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MANAGEMENT. The Fund's investment manager is Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC. The Fund's sub-adviser is Wellington Management. 
Portfolio Manager
Title
Involved with
Fund Since
Scott I. St. John, CFA
Senior Managing Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager
2006
Matthew C. Hand, CFA
Senior Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager
2006
Adam H. Illfelder, CFA
Senior Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager
2008
Noah C. Atlas, CFA
Managing Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager
July 2025
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES. Not all share classes are available for all investors. Minimum investment amounts may be waived for certain accounts. Certain financial intermediaries may impose different restrictions than those described below. 
Share Classes
Minimum Initial Investment
Minimum
Subsequent
Investment
Class A, Class C and Class I
$2,000 for all accounts except: $250, if establishing an Automatic
Investment Plan ("AIP"), with recurring monthly investments of at
least $50
$50
Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6
No minimum initial investment
None
Class Y
$250,000
This requirement is waived when the shares are purchased
through omnibus accounts (or similar types of accounts).
None
Class F
$1,000,000
This requirement is waived when the shares are purchased
through omnibus accounts (or similar types of accounts).
None
For more information, please see the "How To Buy And Sell Shares" section of the Fund's statutory prospectus.
You may sell your shares of the Fund on those days when the New York Stock Exchange is open, typically Monday through Friday. You may sell your shares through your financial intermediary. With respect to certain accounts, you may sell your shares on the web at hartfordfunds.com, by phone by calling 1-888-843-7824, by electronic funds transfer, or by wire. In certain circumstances you will need to write to Hartford Funds to request to sell your shares. For regular mail, please send the request to Hartford Funds, P.O. Box 219060, Kansas City, MO 64121-9060. For overnight mail, please send the request to Hartford Funds, 801 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 219060, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307.
TAX INFORMATION. The Fund's distributions are generally taxable, and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES. If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank or financial professional), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial professional or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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8 February 27, 2026 MFSUM-BI_02272026
Hartford Mutual Funds Inc. published this content on February 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via EDGAR on February 26, 2026 at 18:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]