<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 08/31/97
000 C000000 0000353967
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 IDS LIFE SPECIAL INCOME FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-3219
001 C000000 6126712152
002 A000000 IDS TOWER 10
002 B000000 MINNEAPOLIS
002 C000000 MN
002 D010000 55440
002 D020000 0010
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 3
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 IDS LIFE SPECIAL INCOME FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 IDS LIFE GLOBAL YIELD FUND
007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C020300 IDS LIFE INCOME ADVANTAGE FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
007 C011100 11
007 C011200 12
007 C011300 13
007 C011400 14
007 C011500 15
007 C011600 16
007 C011700 17
007 C011800 18
007 C011900 19
007 C012000 20
008 A00AA01 IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
008 B00AA01 A
<PAGE> PAGE 2
008 C00AA01 801-8101
008 D01AA01 MINNEAPOLIS
008 D02AA01 MN
008 D03AA01 55440
008 D04AA01 0534
008 A00AA02 AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
008 B00AA02 S
008 C00AA02 801-14721
008 D01AA02 MINNEAPOLIS
008 D02AA02 MN
008 D03AA02 55440
008 D04AA02 0010
012 A00AA01 AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
012 B00AA01 84-456
012 C01AA01 MINNEAPOLIS
012 C02AA01 MN
012 C03AA01 55440
012 C04AA01 0010
013 A00AA01 KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
013 B01AA01 MINNEAPOLIS
013 B02AA01 MN
013 B03AA01 55402
013 B04AA01 3900
014 A00AA01 AMERICAN EXPRESS SERVICE CORPORATION
014 B00AA01 8-27456
014 A00AA02 AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INVESTMENT SERVICES INC.
014 B00AA02 8-42582
014 A00AA03 AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
014 B00AA03 8-31250
014 A00AA04 AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL ADVISORS INC.
014 B00AA04 8-16791
014 A00AA05 IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
014 B00AA05 8-14124
014 A00AA06 IDS SECURITIES CORPORATION
014 B00AA06 8-12550
015 A00AA01 AMERICAN EXPRESS TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 MINNEAPOLIS
015 C02AA01 MN
015 C03AA01 55402
015 E01AA01 X
015 A00AA02 MORGAN STANLEY TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA02 S
015 C01AA02 BROOKLYN
015 C02AA02 NY
015 C03AA02 11201
015 E04AA02 X
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 47
019 C00AA00 IDSMUTFDGR
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
020 B000001 13-5108880
020 C000001 73
020 A000002 LAZARD FRERES & CO. LLP
020 B000002 13-5545100
020 C000002 4
020 A000003 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
020 B000003 13-3224016
020 C000003 4
020 A000004 AMERICAN EXPRESS ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP
020 B000004 41-1533211
020 C000004 2
020 A000005 BANKERS TRUST
020 B000005 13-4941247
020 C000005 1
020 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
020 B000006 13-5674085
020 C000006 1
020 A000007 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000007 13-3082694
020 C000007 1
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 86
022 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 814771
022 D000001 239906
022 A000002 MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
022 B000002 13-5674085
022 C000002 717670
022 D000002 148952
022 A000003 LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.
022 B000003 13-2501865
022 C000003 622642
022 D000003 35952
022 A000004 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000004 13-2655998
022 C000004 410289
022 D000004 154152
022 A000005 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000005 13-3224016
022 C000005 203020
022 D000005 103654
022 A000006 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP
022 B000006 13-5659485
022 C000006 224861
022 D000006 71999
022 A000007 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
022 B000007 13-3082694
<PAGE> PAGE 4
022 C000007 110768
022 D000007 85394
022 A000008 CHASE INVESTMENT SERVICES CORP.
022 B000008 13-5225436
022 C000008 124722
022 D000008 68035
022 A000009 FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MKTS. INC.
022 B000009 36-3595942
022 C000009 180236
022 D000009 9026
022 A000010 DONALDSON, LUFKIN, JENRETTE SEC. CORP.
022 B000010 13-2741729
022 C000010 118499
022 D000010 59680
023 C000000 4448115
023 D000000 1532927
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 Y
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
029 00AA00 N
030 A00AA00 0
030 B00AA00 0.00
030 C00AA00 0.00
034 00AA00 N
035 00AA00 0
036 B00AA00 0
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 N
040 00AA00 N
042 A00AA00 0
042 B00AA00 0
042 C00AA00 0
042 D00AA00 0
042 E00AA00 0
042 F00AA00 0
042 G00AA00 0
042 H00AA00 0
043 00AA00 0
044 00AA00 0
049 00AA00 N
050 00AA00 N
051 00AA00 N
052 00AA00 N
<PAGE> PAGE 5
053 A00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 Y
054 C00AA00 Y
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 N
054 H00AA00 N
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 N
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 Y
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 Y
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 Y
057 00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 600
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 RELIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 2575
081 A00AA00 N
081 B00AA00 0
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
024 000100 Y
025 A000101 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
025 B000101 13-5108880
025 C000101 D
025 D000101 8068
025 A000102 MORGAN STANLEY GROUP, INC.
025 B000102 13-2655998
025 C000102 D
025 D000102 8242
025 A000103 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
025 B000103 13-3224016
025 C000103 D
025 D000103 12991
025 A000104 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
025 B000104 13-3082694
025 C000104 D
025 D000104 5054
025 D000105 0
025 D000106 0
025 D000107 0
025 D000108 0
028 A010100 7808
028 A020100 10074
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 22931
028 B010100 4900
028 B020100 10210
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 23722
028 C010100 5072
028 C020100 8721
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 22068
028 D010100 7231
028 D020100 9381
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 16799
028 E010100 5633
028 E020100 9573
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 20349
028 F010100 5816
028 F020100 9115
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 19217
<PAGE> PAGE 7
028 G010100 36460
028 G020100 57074
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 125086
028 H000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 Y
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 1000000
048 A020100 0.610
048 B010100 1000000
048 B020100 0.595
048 C010100 1000000
048 C020100 0.580
048 D010100 3000000
048 D020100 0.565
048 E010100 3000000
048 E020100 0.550
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 9000000
048 K020100 0.535
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.3
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 12.8
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 11.9
062 N000100 10.7
062 O000100 0.4
062 P000100 40.7
062 Q000100 22.3
062 R000100 0.9
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 13.9
<PAGE> PAGE 8
064 A000100 N
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 Y
070 C020100 Y
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 Y
070 E020100 Y
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 Y
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 N
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 Y
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 Y
070 M010100 Y
070 M020100 Y
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 Y
070 O010100 Y
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 1244414
071 B000100 1417225
071 C000100 1712063
071 D000100 73
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 150966
072 C000100 474
072 D000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 11582
072 G000100 941
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 0
072 J000100 265
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 140
072 M000100 27
072 N000100 0
072 O000100 0
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 22
072 S000100 0
072 T000100 0
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 16
072 X000100 12993
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 138447
072AA000100 36390
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 48544
072CC020100 0
072DD010100 137426
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 11869
073 A010100 0.8500
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0700
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 0
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 273628
074 D000100 1653966
074 E000100 16192
074 F000100 2787
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 44131
074 K000100 6958
074 L000100 28166
074 M000100 24147
074 N000100 2049975
074 O000100 51579
074 P000100 0
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 75078
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 1923318
074 U010100 160398
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 11.99
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 0
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 1932733
076 000100 0.00
024 000200 Y
025 A000201 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
025 B000201 13-3224016
025 C000201 D
025 D000201 970
025 A000202 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
025 B000202 13-2518466
025 C000202 D
025 D000202 1172
025 D000203 0
025 D000204 0
025 D000205 0
025 D000206 0
025 D000207 0
025 D000208 0
028 A010200 9614
028 A020200 285
028 A030200 0
028 A040200 0
028 B010200 8028
028 B020200 187
028 B030200 0
028 B040200 4
028 C010200 7732
028 C020200 294
028 C030200 0
028 C040200 1
028 D010200 7202
028 D020200 246
028 D030200 0
028 D040200 17
028 E010200 7824
028 E020200 325
028 E030200 0
028 E040200 66
028 F010200 7109
<PAGE> PAGE 11
028 F020200 178
028 F030200 0
028 F040200 90
028 G010200 47509
028 G020200 1515
028 G030200 0
028 G040200 178
028 H000200 0
045 000200 Y
046 000200 N
047 000200 Y
048 000200 0.000
048 A010200 250000
048 A020200 0.840
048 B010200 250000
048 B020200 0.825
048 C010200 250000
048 C020200 0.810
048 D010200 250000
048 D020200 0.795
048 E010200 0
048 E020200 0.000
048 F010200 0
048 F020200 0.000
048 G010200 0
048 G020200 0.000
048 H010200 0
048 H020200 0.000
048 I010200 0
048 I020200 0.000
048 J010200 0
048 J020200 0.000
048 K010200 1000000
048 K020200 0.780
062 A000200 Y
062 B000200 0.0
062 C000200 4.7
062 D000200 0.0
062 E000200 0.0
062 F000200 0.0
062 G000200 0.0
062 H000200 0.0
062 I000200 11.9
062 J000200 0.0
062 K000200 0.0
062 L000200 0.7
062 M000200 15.8
062 N000200 5.9
062 O000200 0.0
062 P000200 12.1
062 Q000200 48.9
<PAGE> PAGE 12
062 R000200 0.0
063 A000200 0
063 B000200 12.7
064 A000200 N
064 B000200 N
066 A000200 N
067 000200 N
068 A000200 N
068 B000200 Y
069 000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 N
070 B010200 N
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 Y
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 N
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 Y
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 Y
070 G020200 N
070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 N
070 K010200 Y
070 K020200 Y
070 L010200 Y
070 L020200 Y
070 M010200 Y
070 M020200 Y
070 N010200 Y
070 N020200 Y
070 O010200 Y
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 Y
070 P020200 N
070 Q010200 N
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 N
070 R020200 N
071 A000200 101954
071 B000200 20045
071 C000200 55035
071 D000200 36
072 A000200 12
<PAGE> PAGE 13
072 B000200 4578
072 C000200 0
072 D000200 0
072 E000200 0
072 F000200 577
072 G000200 42
072 H000200 0
072 I000200 0
072 J000200 20
072 K000200 0
072 L000200 4
072 M000200 15
072 N000200 0
072 O000200 0
072 P000200 0
072 Q000200 0
072 R000200 13
072 S000200 0
072 T000200 0
072 U000200 0
072 V000200 0
072 W000200 2
072 X000200 673
072 Y000200 0
072 Z000200 3905
072AA000200 0
072BB000200 729
072CC010200 321
072CC020200 0
072DD010200 2751
072DD020200 0
072EE000200 0
073 A010200 0.4100
073 A020200 0.0000
073 B000200 0.0000
073 C000200 0.0000
074 A000200 1061
074 B000200 0
074 C000200 19750
074 D000200 98491
074 E000200 0
074 F000200 0
074 G000200 0
074 H000200 0
074 I000200 0
074 J000200 0
074 K000200 1147
074 L000200 1642
074 M000200 23
074 N000200 122114
074 O000200 1274
<PAGE> PAGE 14
074 P000200 0
074 Q000200 0
074 R010200 0
074 R020200 0
074 R030200 0
074 R040200 1662
074 S000200 0
074 T000200 119178
074 U010200 11554
074 U020200 0
074 V010200 10.32
074 V020200 0.00
074 W000200 0.0000
074 X000200 0
074 Y000200 0
075 A000200 0
075 B000200 69794
076 000200 0.00
024 000300 N
028 A010300 25177
028 A020300 1169
028 A030300 0
028 A040300 83
028 B010300 17248
028 B020300 1342
028 B030300 0
028 B040300 62
028 C010300 20073
028 C020300 1463
028 C030300 0
028 C040300 5
028 D010300 19896
028 D020300 1649
028 D030300 0
028 D040300 15
028 E010300 22670
028 E020300 1772
028 E030300 0
028 E040300 88
028 F010300 23603
028 F020300 1772
028 F030300 0
028 F040300 255
028 G010300 128667
028 G020300 9167
028 G030300 0
028 G040300 508
028 H000300 0
045 000300 Y
046 000300 N
047 000300 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 15
048 000300 0.000
048 A010300 1000000
048 A020300 0.620
048 B010300 1000000
048 B020300 0.605
048 C010300 1000000
048 C020300 0.590
048 D010300 3000000
048 D020300 0.575
048 E010300 3000000
048 E020300 0.560
048 F010300 0
048 F020300 0.000
048 G010300 0
048 G020300 0.000
048 H010300 0
048 H020300 0.000
048 I010300 0
048 I020300 0.000
048 J010300 0
048 J020300 0.000
048 K010300 9000000
048 K020300 0.545
062 A000300 Y
062 B000300 0.0
062 C000300 1.7
062 D000300 0.0
062 E000300 0.0
062 F000300 0.0
062 G000300 0.0
062 H000300 0.0
062 I000300 1.4
062 J000300 0.0
062 K000300 0.0
062 L000300 2.0
062 M000300 0.0
062 N000300 0.7
062 O000300 0.0
062 P000300 75.0
062 Q000300 12.2
062 R000300 7.0
063 A000300 0
063 B000300 8.1
064 A000300 N
064 B000300 N
066 A000300 N
067 000300 N
068 A000300 N
068 B000300 N
069 000300 N
070 A010300 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 16
070 A020300 N
070 B010300 N
070 B020300 N
070 C010300 Y
070 C020300 N
070 D010300 N
070 D020300 N
070 E010300 Y
070 E020300 N
070 F010300 N
070 F020300 N
070 G010300 Y
070 G020300 N
070 H010300 N
070 H020300 N
070 I010300 N
070 I020300 N
070 J010300 Y
070 J020300 N
070 K010300 Y
070 K020300 N
070 L010300 Y
070 L020300 Y
070 M010300 Y
070 M020300 Y
070 N010300 Y
070 N020300 N
070 O010300 Y
070 O020300 N
070 P010300 Y
070 P020300 N
070 Q010300 N
070 Q020300 N
070 R010300 N
070 R020300 N
071 A000300 416790
071 B000300 169597
071 C000300 163523
071 D000300 104
072 A000300 12
072 B000300 485
072 C000300 16033
072 D000300 0
072 E000300 0
072 F000300 1071
072 G000300 86
072 H000300 0
072 I000300 0
072 J000300 1
072 K000300 0
072 L000300 5
<PAGE> PAGE 17
072 M000300 10
072 N000300 0
072 O000300 0
072 P000300 0
072 Q000300 0
072 R000300 14
072 S000300 0
072 T000300 0
072 U000300 0
072 V000300 0
072 W000300 0
072 X000300 1187
072 Y000300 0
072 Z000300 15331
072AA000300 1950
072BB000300 0
072CC010300 9363
072CC020300 0
072DD010300 15331
072DD020300 0
072EE000300 0
073 A010300 0.8800
073 A020300 0.0000
073 B000300 0.0000
073 C000300 0.0000
074 A000300 0
074 B000300 0
074 C000300 11264
074 D000300 279721
074 E000300 21943
074 F000300 373
074 G000300 0
074 H000300 0
074 I000300 0
074 J000300 186
074 K000300 3502
074 L000300 5691
074 M000300 0
074 N000300 322680
074 O000300 0
074 P000300 0
074 Q000300 0
074 R010300 0
074 R020300 0
074 R030300 0
074 R040300 2363
074 S000300 0
074 T000300 320317
074 U010300 30820
074 U020300 0
074 V010300 10.39
<PAGE> PAGE 18
074 V020300 0.00
074 W000300 0.0000
074 X000300 0
074 Y000300 0
075 A000300 0
075 B000300 176542
076 000300 0.00
SIGNATURE LESLIE L. OGG
TITLE SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 2
<NAME> IDS LIFE GLOBAL YIELD FUND
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 117728549
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 118241227
<RECEIVABLES> 2788399
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1084068
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 122113694
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1273853
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1662118
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2935971
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 118295892
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 11533714
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 2076586
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 6277
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 425883
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 449671
<NET-ASSETS> 119177723
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4578282
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 672988
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3905294
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (728768)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 320947
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 3497473
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 2750769
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 9330407
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 120645
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 267366
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 271479144
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 6403
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 576997
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 672988
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 69227919
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.08
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.51
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.14
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.41)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.32
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.97
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> IDS LIFE INCOME ADVANTAGE FUND
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 304285101
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 313301079
<RECEIVABLES> 9379036
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 322680115
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 45
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2362774
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2362819
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 309417477
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 30819905
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 17295879
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 1949507
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 9015978
<NET-ASSETS> 320317296
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 484593
<INTEREST-INCOME> 16033475
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1186620
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15331448
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1950076
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 9362691
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 26644215
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 15331448
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 24570862
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 261858
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1512556
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 271479144
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1070942
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1186620
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 173059751
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.77
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.88
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.62
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.88
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.39
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.69
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> IDS LIFE SPECIAL INCOME FUND
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1889664358
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1946572667
<RECEIVABLES> 79255592
<ASSETS-OTHER> 24146993
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 2049975252
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 51578563
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 75079075
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 126657638
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1828579387
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 160398174
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 165711504
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2658045
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 35367126
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 56713056
<NET-ASSETS> 1923317614
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 474635
<INTEREST-INCOME> 150966024
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 151440659
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 0
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 36389635
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 48544163
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 223381191
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 136327556
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 11869083
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 1098015
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 6809483
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 24673816
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 12551003
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 11469988
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 2119837
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 14828295
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11582416
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 12993266
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1928582083
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.54
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.85
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.52
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.84
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.08
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.99
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.68
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
Independent Auditors' Report on Internal Accounting Control
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
IDS Life Special Income Fund, Inc.:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial
statements of IDS Life Special Income, IDS Life Global
Yield, and IDS Life Income Advantage (Funds within IDS
Life Special Income Fund, Inc.) for the year ended August 31,
1997, we considered its internal control, including control
activities for safeguarding securities, in order to determine our
auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion
on the financial statements and to comply with the
requirements of Form N-SAR, not to provide assurance on the
internal control.
The management of IDS Life Special Income Fund, Inc. is
responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control.
In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by
management are required to assess the expected benefits and
related costs of controls. Generally, controls that are relevant
to an audit pertain to the entity's objective of preparing
financial statements for external purposes that are fairly
presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of assets
against unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in internal control, errors or
irregularities may occur and not be detected. Also, projection
of any evaluation of internal control to future periods is
subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design
and operation may deteriorate.
Our consideration of the internal control would not necessarily
disclose all matters in the internal control that might be
material weaknesses under standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A material
weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of
one or more of the internal control components does not
reduce to a relatively low level the risk that errors or
irregularities in amounts that would be material in relation to
the financial statements being audited may occur and not be
detected within a timely period by employees in the normal
course of performing their assigned functions. However, we
noted no matters involving the internal control and its
operation, including controls for safeguarding securities, that
we consider to be a material weakness as defined above.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of
management, the Board of Directors of IDS Life Special
Income Fund, Inc., and the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
October 3, 1997
