BOSTON, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund") declared its monthly distribution today as follows: 

    Declaration Date:   August 3, 2009
    Ex Date:            August 11, 2009
    Record Date:        August 13, 2009
    Payment Date:       August 31, 2009

                                          Market                      Rate
                                          Price      Annualized      Change
                                          as of        Current        From
                                         July 31,   Distribution    Previous
    Ticker   Fund Name          Amount     2009    Rate at Market     Month
    ------   ---------          ------  --------- ---------------  ---------
    HTD      Tax-Advantaged
              Dividend Income  $0.0910    $11.67        9.36%           -

A portion of the Fund's current distribution may include sources other than net investment income, including a return of capital. Investors should understand that a return of capital is not a distribution from income or gains of the Fund. As required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a notice with the estimated components of the distribution will be mailed to shareholders at the time of payment if it does not consist solely of net investment income. At this time, the Fund anticipates that the notice accompanying the current distribution will include an estimate of return of capital. Such notice will also be posted to the Fund's website at www.jhfunds.com. The notice should not to be used to prepare tax returns as the estimates indicated in the notice may differ from the ultimate federal income tax characterization of distributions. After the end of each calendar year, investors will be sent a Form 1099-DIV informing them how to report distributions received during that year for federal income tax purposes.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $35.8 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at March 31, 2009.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$405 billion (US$322 billion) at March 31, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Funds