Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. Monthly Dividend Declaration

NEW YORK, NY—May 7, 2010—Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) (NYSE: HTR) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a monthly dividend of $0.0475 per share, payable on May 27, 2010 to stockholders of record on May 21, 2010. Based on the NYSE closing price of $5.51 on May 6, 2010, the Fund’s yield was 10.34%. As of April 30, 2010, the Fund’s average duration, as measured on a net asset basis, was 4.7 years.

Dividends may include net investment income, capital gains and/or return of capital. The dividend yield referenced above is calculated as the annualized amount of the most recent monthly dividend declared divided by the stated stock price.

As of April 30, 2010
Sector Allocation as a Percentage of Total Assets

Credit Allocation as a Percentage of Total Assets

The Fund uses its web site as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Fund is routinely posted on and accessible at www.brookfieldim.com. The Fund’s sector and credit allocations are subject to change without notice.

Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. is managed by Brookfield Investment Management Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor specializing in core fixed income, high yield, structured products (Commercial MBS, Residential MBS and ABS) as well as global REITs and listed infrastructure securities. Headquartered in New York, the firm had approximately $24 billion of assets under management* as of March 31, 2010. Brookfield Investment Management Inc. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a global asset manager focused on property, power and other infrastructure assets with approximately $100 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2010.
* Includes assets managed through AMP Capital Brookfield Pty Limited.

Helios Total Return Fund, Inc.
Three World Financial Center 200 Vesey Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10281-1010
(800) 497-3746