Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. Announces the Commencement of Its Rights Offering

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Nov 23, 2012) - Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") (NYSE MKT: CRF) announced today that the subscription period for its rights offering to holders of the Fund's common stock will commence on Friday, November 30, 2012.

The Fund is issuing to its stockholders non-transferable rights entitling the holders to subscribe for an aggregate of approximately 2,246,730 shares of the Fund's common stock. Each stockholder is to be issued one right for each whole share of the Fund's common stock owned on the record date, November 26, 2012.

The rights entitle stockholders to acquire one share for each three rights held. The subscription period will commence on Friday, November 30, 2012, and will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on Friday, December 21, 2012, unless extended (the "Expiration Date"). The actual subscription price per share, as determined on the Expiration Date, will be the greater of (i) 107% of the net asset value per share as calculated at the close of trading on the Expiration Date and (ii) 90% of the market price per share at such time.

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company and is registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Fund is listed on the NYSE MKT under the ticker symbol "CRF".

For further information regarding the Fund's rights offering, or to obtain a Prospectus, please contact AST Fund Solutions, LLC, the Fund's Information Agent, toll free at (800) 581-3949.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such state.

Please consider the Fund's investment objective, risks and charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the Fund, can be obtained by calling (800) 581-3949 and should be read carefully before investing.