The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund Announces Quarterly Dividend

DALLAS, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund
(NYSE: SRV) declared its quarterly dividend of $0.225 per common share for the
quarter ending November 30, 2009. The dividend will be payable on December 10,
2009 to shareholders of record on November 25, 2009. The ex-date for the
dividend is November 23, 2009.

With the payment of this quarter's dividend, SRV shareholders have realized
aggregate dividends of $2.49 per share since inception.

It is anticipated that substantially all of this dividend will be treated as a
return of capital. The final determination of such amount will be made in
early 2010, after the end of the calendar year when the Fund can determine its
earnings and profits. The final tax status of the dividend may differ
substantially from this preliminary information.

The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to obtain a high
after-tax total return from a combination of capital appreciation and current
income. No assurance can be given that the Fund's investment objective will be
achieved. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing,
under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets, plus any
borrowings for investment purposes, in MLP investments.

The Fund is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SRV." The
Fund is managed by Swank Energy Income Advisors, LP, an SEC-registered
Investment Advisor headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release
contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the U.S. federal
securities laws. Generally, the words, "believe," "expect," "intend,"
"estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify
forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature.
Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ from the Fund's historical experience and
its present expectations or projections indicated in any forward-looking
statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, changes in economic
and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; MLP industry risk;
leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; and other risks
discussed in the Fund's filings with the SEC. You should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they
are made. The Fund undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the Fund's
investment objectives will be attained.

SOURCE The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund

Curt Pabst of The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund, +1-214-635-1660