BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
485BPOS, 1996-12-24
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                X
                                                                     -----

         File No. 2-94608:

         Pre-Effective Amendment No.____

         Post-Effective Amendment No._26_                              X
                                                                     -----
                                     and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940        X
                                                                     -----

         File No. 811-4165:

         Amendment No._28_


         BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
         (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

         4500 Main Street, Kansas City, MO  64141-6200
         (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

         Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:  415-965-8300

         Douglas A. Paul
         General Counsel
         1665 Charleston Road, Mountain View, CA  94043
         (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:  Immediately, upon effectiveness
(first offered 3/25/85)

It is proposed that this filing become effective:

   __X__  immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
   _____  on September 3, 1996, pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
   _____  60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485
   _____  on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 
   _____  75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (2) of Rule 485
   _____  on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registrant has elected to register an indefinite number of shares of beneficial
interest under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940. On November 14, 1996, the Registrant filed a
Rule 24f-2 Notice on Form 24f-2 with respect to its fiscal year ended September
30, 1996.




                         BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
                    1933 Act Post-Effective Amendment No. 26
                            1940 Act Amendment No. 28

                                    FORM N-1A
                              CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET

PART A:  PROSPECTUS

ITEM      PROSPECTUS CAPTION

1         Cover Page

2         Transaction and Operating Expense Table

3         Financial Highlights, Performance Advertising

4         Further Information About American Century, Investment Policies
          of the Funds, Investment Objectives of the Funds, 
          Risk Factors and Investment Techniques, Other Investment 
          Practices, Their Characteristics and Risks

5         Investment Management, Transfer and Administrative Services,
          Financial Highlights

5A        Not Applicable

6         Further Information About American Century, How to Redeem Shares, 
          Cover Page, Distributions, Taxes

7         How to Open an Account, Distribution of Fund Shares, Cover Page, Share
          Price, Transfer and Administrative Services, How to Exchange From One
          Account to Another

8         How to Redeem Shares, Transfer and Administrative Services

9         Not Applicable



PART B:  STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ITEM      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAPTION

10        Cover Page

11        Table of Contents

12        About the Trust

13        Investment Policies and Techniques, Investment Restrictions, Portfolio
          Transactions

14        Trustee and Officers

15        Additional Purchase and Redemption Information, Trustees and Officers

16        Investment Advisory Services, Transfer and Administrative and 
          Services, About the Trust, Expense Limitation Agreement

17        Portfolio Transactions

18        About the Trust

19        Additional Purchase and Redemption Information, Valuation of Portfolio
          Securities

20        Taxes

21        Distribution of Fund Shares, Additional Purchase and 
          Redemption Information

22        Performance

23        Cover Page





                                   PROSPECTUS

                             [american century logo]
                                    American
                                  Century(sm)


                                JANUARY 1, 1997

                                     BENHAM
                                    GROUP(R)

                                  Target 2000
                                  Target 2005
                                  Target 2010
                                  Target 2015
                                  Target 2020
                                  Target 2025

                                  [cover page]


                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                                FAMILY OF FUNDS

     American  Century  Investments  offers you nearly 70 fund choices  covering
stocks, bonds, money markets,  specialty investments and blended portfolios.  To
help you find the funds that may meet your investment  needs,  American  Century
funds  have  been  divided  into  three  groups  based on  investment  style and
objectives. These groups, which appear below, are designed to help simplify your
fund decisions.

                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

       BENHAM GROUP          AMERICAN CENTURY GROUP   TWENTIETH CENTURY(R) GROUP

    MONEY MARKET FUNDS         ASSET ALLOCATION &
   GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS         BALANCED FUNDS             GROWTH FUNDS
  DIVERSIFIED BOND FUNDS    CONSERVATIVE EQUITY FUNDS    INTERNATIONAL FUNDS
   MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS          SPECIALTY FUNDS

       Target 2000 
       Target 2005 
       Target 2010 
       Target 2015 
       Target 2020 
       Target 2025

                                 [inside cover]



                                   PROSPECTUS
                                 JANUARY 1, 1997

                    TARGET 2000 o TARGET 2005 o TARGET 2010 
                    TARGET 2015 o TARGET 2020 o TARGET 2025

                    AMERICAN CENTURY TARGET MATURITIES TRUST

     American  Century  Target  Maturities  Trust is a part of American  Century
Investments,  a family of funds that  includes  nearly 70 no-load  mutual  funds
covering a variety of investment opportunities. Six of the funds from our Benham
Group that  invest  primarily  in  zero-coupon  U.S.  Treasury  securities,  are
described in this Prospectus.  Their investment  objectives are listed on page 2
of this Prospectus. The other funds are described in separate prospectuses.

     American Century offers investors a full line of no-load funds, investments
that have no sales charges or commissions.

     This Prospectus gives you information  about the Funds that you should know
before investing. Please read this Prospectus carefully and retain it for future
reference.  Additional  information  is included in the  Statement of Additional
Information  dated  January 1, 1997 and filed with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission  ("SEC").  It is incorporated  into this Prospectus by reference.  To
obtain a copy without charge, call or write:

                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                       4500 Main Street o P.O. Box 419200
               Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6200 o 1-800-345-2021
                       International calls: 816-531-5575
                    Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
                   1-800-634-4113 o In Missouri: 816-753-1865
                       Internet: www.americancentury.com

     Additional  information,  including  this  Prospectus  and the Statement of
Additional Information,  may be obtained by accessing the Web site maintained by
the SEC (www.sec.gov).

THESE  SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR  DISAPPROVED  BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES  COMMISSION,  NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION  PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Prospectus                                                                     1



                       INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2000

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2005

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2010

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2015

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2020

AMERICAN CENTURY - BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES
TRUST: 2025

     Each  Fund  seeks to  provide  the  highest  attainable  investment  return
consistent  with  the  creditworthiness  of  U.S.  Treasury  securities  and the
professional management of reinvestment and market risks.

     Each Fund invests  primarily in zero-coupon  U.S.  Treasury  securities and
will be liquidated shortly after the conclusion of its target maturity year. For
more  information  about this  unique  feature,  please see  "Distributions-Fund
Liquidation," page 22.

     An  investment in the Funds is neither  insured nor  guaranteed by the U.S.
Government.


     There  is no  assurance  that  the  Funds  will  achieve  their  respective
investment objectives. 

NO  PERSON  IS  AUTHORIZED  BY THE  FUNDS  TO GIVE ANY  INFORMATION  OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN OTHER PRINTED
OR WRITTEN MATERIAL ISSUED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE FUNDS, AND YOU SHOULD NOT RELY
ON ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION.

2  Investment Objectives                           American Century Investments



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

Transaction and Operating Expense Table.......................4
Financial Highlights..........................................5

INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS

Investment Policies of the Funds..............................11
   Investment Objectives of the Funds.........................11
   Investment Policies........................................11
   Zero Coupon Securities.....................................12
   Other Investments..........................................12
Other Investment Practices, Their Characteristics
   and Risks..................................................12
   Coupon-Bearing U.S. Treasury Securities....................13
   REFCORP Bonds..............................................13
   Cash Management............................................13
   Securities Lending.........................................13
   Portfolio Turnover.........................................13
U.S. Government Securities....................................13
Performance Advertising.......................................13

HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

American Century Investments..................................15
Investing in American Century.................................15
How to Open an Account........................................15
     By Mail..................................................15
     By Wire..................................................15
     By Exchange..............................................16
     In Person................................................16
   Subsequent Investments.....................................16
     By Mail..................................................16
     By Telephone.............................................16
     By Online Access.........................................16
     By Wire..................................................16
     In Person................................................16
   Automatic Investment Plan..................................16
How to Exchange from One Account to Another ..................16
     By Mail .................................................17
     By Telephone.............................................17
     By Online Access.........................................17
How to Redeem Shares..........................................17
     By Mail .................................................17
     By Telephone.............................................17
     By Check-A-Month.........................................17
     Other Automatic Redemptions..............................17
   Redemption Proceeds........................................17
     By Check.................................................17
     By Wire and ACH..........................................17
   Redemption of Shares
   in Low-Balance Accounts....................................17
Signature Guarantee...........................................18
Special Shareholder Services..................................18
     Automated Information Line...............................18
     Online Account Access....................................18
     Open Order Service.......................................18
     Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans...........................19
Important Policies Regarding Your Investments.................19
Reports to Shareholders.......................................19
Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans and
   Institutional Accounts.....................................20

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

Share Price...................................................21
   When Share Price Is Determined.............................21
   How Share Price Is Determined..............................21
   Where to Find Information About Share Price................21
Distributions.................................................22
   Buying a Dividend..........................................22
   Reverse Share Splits.......................................22
   Fund Liquidation...........................................22
Taxes.........................................................22
   Tax-Deferred Accounts......................................22
   Taxable Accounts...........................................22
Management....................................................23
   Investment Management......................................23
   Code of Ethics.............................................24
   Transfer and Administrative Services.......................24
Distribution of Fund Shares...................................25
Expenses......................................................25
Further Information About American Century....................25

Prospectus                                                  Table of Contents  3
     
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE

                                                     Target  Target  Target  Target  Target  Target
                                                      2000    2005    2010    2015    2020    2025

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:
<S>                                                    <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>    <C>      <C> 
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases                none   none    none    none   none     none
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested Dividends     none   none    none    none   none     none
Deferred Sales Load                                    none   none    none    none   none     none
Redemption Fee(1)                                      none   none    none    none   none     none
Exchange Fee                                           none   none    none    none   none     none

ANNUAL FUND  OPERATING EXPENSES:(2)
(AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS)

Management Fees (net expense limitation)               .28%   .30%    .28%    .29%   .32%     .04%
12b-1 Fees                                             none   none    none    none   none     none
Other Expenses                                         .25%   .28%    .34%    .33%   .29%     .58%
Total Fund Operating Expenses                          .53%   .58%    .62%    .62%   .61%     .62%

EXAMPLE

You would pay the following expenses        1 year     $  5   $  6    $  6   $  6    $  6     $  6
 on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5%     3 years       17     19      20      20     20       20
annual return and redemption at the end    5 years       30     32      35      35     34       35
of each time period:                      10 years       66     73      77      77     76       77
</TABLE>
(1)  Redemption proceeds sent by wire are subject to a $10 processing fee.

(2)  Benham  Management  Corporation  (the  "Manager")  has agreed to limit each
     Fund's total  operating  expenses to specified  percentages  of each Fund's
     average  daily net  assets.  The  agreement  provides  that the Manager may
     recover  amounts  absorbed  on behalf of the Fund during the  preceding  11
     months if, and to the extent that, for any given month,  Fund expenses were
     less than the expense  limit in effect at that time.  The  current  expense
     limits for each of the Funds is .62%. These expense limitations are subject
     to annual  renewal in June.  Amounts which are paid by  unaffiliated  third
     parties  do  not  apply  to  these  expense  limitations.  If  the  expense
     limitations were not in effect,  each Fund's Management Fee, Other Expenses
     and Total Fund Operating Expenses would be as follows, respectively: Target
     2010, .29%, .34% and .63%; and Target 2025, .29%, .58% and .87%.

     Each Fund pays the Manager advisory fees equal to an annualized  percentage
of each Fund's average daily net assets.  Other expenses include  administrative
and transfer agent fees paid to American Century Services Corporation.

     The purpose of the above table is to help you  understand the various costs
and expenses  that you, as a  shareholder,  will bear  directly or indirectly in
connection  with an  investment  in the  shares  of the  Funds  offered  by this
Prospectus.  The example set forth above assumes  reinvestment  of all dividends
and  distributions  and uses a 5%  annual  rate of  return  as  required  by SEC
regulations.

     NEITHER  THE 5% RATE OF  RETURN  NOR THE  EXPENSES  SHOWN  ABOVE  SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED  INDICATIONS OF PAST OR FUTURE  RETURNS AND EXPENSES.  ACTUAL RETURNS
AND EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.

4  Transaction and Operating Expense Table         American Century Investments



                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2000

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.
<TABLE>
                                         1996       1995      1994       1993       1992     1991     1990  1989(1)    1988     1987

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value,
<S>                                    <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>      <C>   
Beginning of Period ...................$76.86     $66.93    $72.40     $62.16     $52.67   $43.11   $42.79   $37.16  $33.33   $35.44
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ..............  4.75       4.37      3.99       3.94       3.90     3.69     3.40     2.36    2.94     2.68
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains
   (Losses) on Investment Transactions (1.66)       5.56    (9.46)       6.30       5.59     5.87   (3.08)     3.27     .89   (4.79)
   Total Income (Loss) from
   Investment Operations ..............  3.09       9.93    (5.47)      10.24       9.49     9.56      .32     5.63    3.83   (2.11)
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .........(3.94)     (3.42)    (3.25)     (2.34)     (2.22)   (2.09)   (2.35)       --  (2.23)   (4.72)
   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .........    --         --    (2.95)     (1.83)      (.16)       --    (.10)       --      --       --
   In Excess of Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .........    --         --    (1.20)         --         --       --       --       --      --       --
   Total Distributions ................(3.94)     (3.42)    (7.40)     (4.17)     (2.38)   (2.09)   (2.45)       --  (2.23)   (4.72)
Reverse Share Split ...................  3.94       3.42      7.40       4.17       2.38     2.09     2.45       --    2.23     4.72
Net Asset Value, End of Period ........$79.95     $76.86    $66.93     $72.40     $62.16   $52.67   $43.11   $42.79  $37.16   $33.33
TOTAL RETURN(3) .......................  4.01%    14.84%   (7.54)%     16.46%     18.02%   22.18%     .75%   15.15%  11.49%  (5.95)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

   Ratio of Expenses to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................  .53%       .63%      .59%       .60%       .66%     .66%     .70%  .70%(5)    .70%     .70%
   Ratio of Net Investment
   Income to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................ 5.99%      6.13%     5.74%      5.94%      6.90%    7.67%    7.84% 7.81%(5)   8.33%    8.08%
   Portfolio Turnover Rate ............29.24%     52.64%    89.35%     76.59%     92.59%   67.39%   78.76%   49.14% 162.54%   72.70%
   Net Assets, End of Period
   (in thousands) ...................$267,757   $294,736  $243,895   $291,418   $190,063  $89,655  $53,216  $34,820 $14,073   $6,285
</TABLE>

(1)  In 1989, the fiscal year-end for American  Century Target  Maturities Trust
     was changed from December 31 to September 30.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding during the year. Dividends and distributions shown in the table
     will be different than the actual per-share distributions to shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio for the year ended  September  30, 1996  includes  expenses  paid
     through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

Prospectus                                               Financial Highlights  5
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2005

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.

                                         1996       1995      1994       1993       1992     1991     1990  1989(1)    1988     1987

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value,
<S>                                    <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>      <C>   
Beginning of Period ...................$56.61     $45.22    $51.84     $41.18     $35.13   $27.74   $28.61   $24.36  $21.28   $23.74
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ..............  3.50       3.33      3.11       2.90       2.69     2.47     2.27     1.54    1.90     1.77
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains
   (Losses) on Investment Transactions (2.28)      8.06     (9.73)       7.76       3.36     4.92   (3.14)     2.71    1.18   (4.23)
   Total Income (Loss) from
   Investment Operations ..............  1.22      11.39    (6.62)      10.66       6.05     7.39    (.87)     4.25    3.08   (2.46)
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .........(2.06)     (2.41)    (2.70)     (2.51)     (1.75)    (.86)   (1.60)       --  (1.53)   (3.52)
   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions ......... (.58)      (.67)    (8.47)     (1.01)      (.37)       --    (.07)       --      --    (.13)
   Total Distributions ................(2.64)     (3.08)   (11.17)     (3.52)     (2.12)    (.86)   (1.67)       --  (1.53)   (3.65)
Reverse Share Split ...................  2.64       3.08     11.17       3.52       2.12      .86     1.67       --    1.53     3.65
Net Asset Value, End of Period ........$57.83     $56.61    $45.22     $51.84     $41.18   $35.13   $27.74   $28.61  $24.36   $21.28
TOTAL RETURN(3) ....................... 2.15%     25.16%  (12.75)%     25.89%     17.22%   26.64%  (3.04)%   17.45%  14.48% (10.36)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

   Ratio of Expenses to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................  .58%       .71%      .64%       .62%       .63%     .70%     .70%  .70%(5)    .70%     .70%
   Ratio of Net Investment
   Income to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................ 6.05%      6.58%     6.37%      6.44%      7.27%    7.80%    7.93% 7.66%(5)   8.44%    8.31%
   Portfolio Turnover Rate ............31.36%     34.23%    68.11%     49.89%     64.38%   85.38%  186.02%   71.98%  27.25%   68.11%
   Net Assets, End of Period
   (in thousands) ...................$238,864   $183,452   $96,207   $149,890   $168,697 $161,388  $46,303  $24,955  $8,948   $3,680
</TABLE>
(1)  In 1989, the fiscal year-end for American  Century Target  Maturities Trust
     was changed from December 31 to September 30.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding during the year. Dividends and distributions shown in the table
     will be different than the actual per-share distributions to shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio for the year ended  September  30, 1996  includes  expenses  paid
     through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

6  Financial Highlights                            American Century Investments

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2010

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.

                                         1996       1995      1994       1993       1992     1991     1990  1989(1)    1988     1987

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value,
<S>                                    <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>      <C>   
Beginning of Period ...................$42.14     $31.67    $38.13     $28.53     $25.08   $19.18   $20.59   $17.31  $14.96   $17.65
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ..............  2.58       2.41      2.24       2.05       1.88     1.72     1.61     1.08    1.29     1.23
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains
   (Losses) on Investment Transactions (2.25)       8.06    (8.70)       7.55       1.57     4.18   (3.02)    2.20     1.06   (3.92)
   Total Income (Loss) from
   Investment Operations ..............   .33      10.47    (6.46)       9.60       3.45     5.90   (1.41)     3.28    2.35   (2.69)
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .........(1.57)     (1.48)    (1.46)     (1.58)     (1.14)   (1.05)   (1.50)       --   (.42)    (.90)
   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .........    --      (.48)    (4.31)     (1.14)         --       --    (.09)       --      --       --
   Total Distributions ................(1.57)     (1.96)    (5.77)     (2.72)     (1.14)   (1.05)   (1.59)       --   (.42)    (.90)
Reverse Share Split ...................  1.57       1.96      5.77       2.72       1.14     1.05     1.59       --     .42      .90
Net Asset Value, End of Period ........$42.47     $42.14    $31.67     $38.13     $28.53   $25.08   $19.18   $20.59  $17.31   $14.96
TOTAL RETURN(3) .......................  .78%     33.06%  (16.92)%     33.61%     13.76%   30.76%  (6.85)%   18.95%  15.71% (15.24)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

   Ratio of Expenses to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................  .67%       .71%      .68%       .66%       .70%     .70%     .70%  .70%(5)    .70%     .70%
   Ratio of Net Investment
   Income to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................ 5.98%      6.56%     6.35%      6.32%      7.20%    7.73%    7.82% 7.34%(5)   8.11%    8.13%
   Portfolio Turnover Rate ............24.42%     26.00%    35.35%    131.50%     95.25%  130.91%  191.16%   88.43% 258.70%   83.59%
   Net Assets, End of Period
   (in thousands) ...................$111,117    $95,057   $46,312    $70,551    $55,565  $47,661  $37,222  $42,439  $9,617   $9,297
</TABLE>

(1)  In 1989, the fiscal year-end for American  Century Target  Maturities Trust
     was changed from December 31 to September 30.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding during the year. Dividends and distributions shown in the table
     will be different than the actual per-share distributions to shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio for the year ended  September  30, 1996  includes  expenses  paid
     through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

Prospectus                                              Financial Highlights  7
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2015

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.

                                         1996       1995      1994       1993       1992     1991     1990  1989(1)    1988     1987

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value,
<S>                                    <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>      <C>   
Beginning of Period ...................$32.20     $22.79    $29.04     $20.39     $18.44   $13.75   $15.62   $12.63  $11.37   $14.24
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ..............  1.85       1.71      1.57       1.46       1.33     1.26     1.18      .79     .94      .90
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains
   (Losses) on Investment Transactions (2.09)       7.70    (7.82)       7.19        .62     3.43   (3.05)    2.20      .32   (3.77)
   Total Income (Loss) from
   Investment Operations .............. (.24)       9.41    (6.25)       8.65       1.95     4.69   (1.87)     2.99    1.26   (2.87)
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .........(1.28)      (.87)    (1.19)     (1.45)     (1.23)    (.97)    (.50)       --   (.55)    (.22)
   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .........(1.61)         --    (7.08)      (.34)         --       --    (.01)       --      --       --
   In Excess of Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .........    --         --     (.37)         --         --       --       --       --      --       --
   Total Distributions ................(2.89)      (.87)    (8.64)     (1.79)     (1.23)    (.97)    (.51)       --   (.55)    (.22)
Reverse Share Split ...................  2.89        .87      8.64       1.79       1.23      .97      .51       --     .55      .22
Net Asset Value, End of Period ........$31.96     $32.20    $22.79     $29.04     $20.39   $18.44   $13.75   $15.62  $12.63   $11.37
TOTAL RETURN(3) .......................(.74)%     41.29%  (21.52)%     42.42%     10.57%   34.11% (11.97)%   23.67%  11.08% (20.15)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

   Ratio of Expenses to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ................  .65%       .71%      .68%       .63%       .62%     .61%     .70%  .70%(5)    .70%     .70%
   Ratio of Net Investment Income
   to Average Daily Net Assets(4) ..... 5.63%      6.40%     5.97%      6.28%      7.04%    7.79%    7.74% 7.02%(5)   7.97%    7.99%
   Portfolio Turnover Rate ............17.24%     69.97%    64.90%    138.34%    103.25%   39.91%   81.27%   48.31% 188.24%  508.59%
   Net Assets, End of Period
   (in thousands) ...................$115,654   $114,647   $66,073    $89,023   $131,106 $222,118 $295,577 $233,792 $11,790   $2,006
</TABLE>

(1)  In 1989, the fiscal year-end for American  Century Target  Maturities Trust
     was changed from December 31 to September 30.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding during the year. Dividends and distributions shown in the table
     will be different than the actual per-share distributions to shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio for the year ended  September  30, 1996  includes  expenses  paid
     through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

8  Financial Highlights                            American Century Investments
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2020

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.

                                              1996       1995      1994      1993     1992     1991   1990(1)

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value,
<S>                                         <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>      <C>   
Beginning of Period ....................... $22.47     $15.28    $20.72    $13.63   $12.54    $9.63    $12.00
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ..................   1.41       1.19      1.13      1.00      .92      .85       .60
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains
   (Losses) on Investment Transactions .... (1.88)       6.00    (6.57)      6.09      .17     2.06    (2.97)
   Total Income (Loss) from
   Investment Operations ..................  (.47)       7.19    (5.44)      7.09     1.09     2.91    (2.37)
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .............  (.40)      (.21)    (0.28)     (.53)    (.63)    (.21)        --
   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .............  (.04)         --    (1.31)     (.72)    (.08)       --        --
   In Excess of Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .............     --         --    (1.18)        --       --       --        --
   Total Distributions ....................  (.44)      (.21)    (2.77)    (1.25)    (.71)    (.21)        --
Reverse Share Split .......................    .44        .21      2.77      1.25      .71      .21        --
Net Asset Value, End of Period ............ $22.00     $22.47    $15.28    $20.72   $13.63   $12.54     $9.63
TOTAL RETURN(3) ...........................(2.09)%     47.05%  (26.25)%    52.02%    8.69%   30.22%  (19.75)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

   Ratio of Expenses to Average
   Daily Net Assets(4) ....................   .61%       .72%      .70%      .70%     .66%     .67%   .70%(5)
   Ratio of Net Investment Income
   to Average Daily Net Assets(4) .........  6.25%      6.24%     6.28%     6.10%    7.19%    7.50%  7.79%(5)
   Portfolio Turnover Rate ................ 47.05%     78.08%   116.46%   178.52%  144.05%  151.44%   188.60%
   Net Assets, End of Period
   (in thousands) ........................$926,319   $574,702   $58,535   $56,125  $41,793  $88,332   $53,198
</TABLE>

(1)  From December 29, 1989  (commencement of operations)  through September 30,
     1990.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding during the year. Dividends and distributions shown in the table
     will be different than the actual per-share distributions to shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio for the year ended  September  30, 1996  includes  expenses  paid
     through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

Prospectus                                              Financial Highlights  9


                              FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                                  TARGET 2025

     The  Financial  Highlights  for each of the  periods  presented  have  been
audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the Fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional  Information.  The semiannual and annual reports contain
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The information presented is for a share outstanding  throughout
the years ended September 30, except as noted.

                                                                         1996(1)

PER-SHARE DATA(2)

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ...................................  $19.85
Income from Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income ...............................................     .72
   Net Realized and Unrealized Losses on Investment Transactions .......  (2.66)
   Total Loss From Investment Operations ...............................  (1.94)
Distributions
   Dividends From Net Investment Income ................................      --
Total Distributions ....................................................      --
   Reverse Share Split .................................................      --
Net Asset Value, End of Period .........................................  $17.91
TOTAL RETURN(3) ........................................................ (9.77)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Expenses to Average Daily Net Assets(4) ....................... .67%(5)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Daily Net Assets(4) ..........6.57%(5)
Portfolio Turnover Rate ................................................  60.80%
Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ............................... $35,661

(1)  From February 15, 1996  (commencement of operations)  through September 30,
     1996.

(2)  Per-share  data in this  table  are  calculated  using the  average  shares
     outstanding  during the period.  Dividends and  distributions  shown in the
     table  will  be  different  than  the  actual  per-share  distributions  to
     shareholders.

(3)  Total return  figures  assume  reinvestment  of dividends  and capital gain
     distributions and are not annualized.

(4)  The ratio includes expenses paid through expense offset arrangements.

(5)  Annualized.

10  Financial Highlights                            American Century Investments



                        INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS

INVESTMENT POLICIES OF THE FUNDS

     The Funds have adopted certain  investment  restrictions that are set forth
in the Statement of Additional Information.  Those restrictions,  as well as the
investment  objectives of the Funds  identified on page 2 of the  Prospectus and
any other  investment  policies  which are designated as  "fundamental"  in this
Prospectus  or in the  Statement of  Additional  Information,  cannot be changed
without shareholder approval.  The Funds have implemented  additional investment
policies  and  practices  to guide  their  activities  in the  pursuit  of their
respective  investment  objectives.  These  policies  and  practices,  which are
described throughout this Prospectus, are not designated as fundamental policies
and may be changed without shareholder approval.

     For an explanation of the securities  ratings  referred to in the following
discussion, see "Other Information" in the Statement of Additional Information.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

     American Century Target  Maturities  Trust currently  consists of six Funds
with  target  maturity  years  of  2000,  2005,  2010,  2015,  2020,  and  2025,
respectively.  Each Fund will be liquidated  shortly after the conclusion of its
target  maturity  year.  Additional  funds may be introduced  from time to time.
There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

     Each  Fund  seeks to  provide  the  highest  attainable  investment  return
consistent  with  the  creditworthiness  of  U.S.  Treasury  securities  and the
professional management of reinvestment and market risks.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

     Each Fund invests  primarily in  zero-coupon  U.S.  Treasury  securities (a
"zero").  Unlike U.S.  Treasury  securities  with  coupons  attached,  which pay
interest  periodically,  zeros pay no interest.  Instead,  these  securities are
issued at a substantial discount from their maturity value, and this discount is
amortized  over the  life of the  security.  Investment  return  comes  from the
difference  between the price at which a zero is issued (or  purchased)  and the
price at which it matures (or is sold).

     To approximate the experience an investor would have if he or she purchased
zeros  directly,  the Manager  manages each Fund to track as closely as possible
the price  behavior  of a zero with the same term to  maturity  to  correct  for
factors such as shareholder  purchases and redemptions (and related  transaction
costs)  that  differentiate  investing  in a portfolio  of zeros from  investing
directly in a zero. The Manager  executes  portfolio  transactions  necessary to
accommodate  shareholder activity each business day. To limit reinvestment risk,
the Manager adjusts each Fund's weighted average maturity ("WAM") to fall within
the  Fund's  target  maturity  year  so  that,  normally,  at  least  90% of the
securities held mature within one year of the Fund's target maturity year.

     By adhering  to these  investment  parameters,  the  Manager  expects  that
shareholders  who hold their shares  until a Fund's  WAM*,  and who reinvest all
dividends and capital gain distributions,  will realize an investment return and
a maturity value that does not differ  substantially from the anticipated growth
rate ("AGR") and anticipated value at maturity ("AVM") calculated on the day the
shares were purchased.

     The Manager  calculates  each Fund's AGR and AVM each day the Trust is open
for business.  AGR and AVM daily calculations assume, among other factors,  that
the Fund's expense ratio and portfolio  composition remain constant for the life
of the Fund.

     Transaction  costs,  interest  rate changes,  and the Manager's  efforts to
improve total return by taking advantage of market  opportunities also cause the
Funds'  AGRs  and  AVMs  to  vary  from  day to  day.  Despite  these  so-called
"destabilizing"  factors,  however,  each  Fund's AGR and AVM tend to  fluctuate
within narrow ranges.  The following table shows each Fund's AVM as of September
30 for each of the past

Prospectus                                    Information Regarding the Fund  11



five years. (AGRs are illustrated in the Statement of Additional Information.)

Anticipated Value At Maturity

             9/30/92   9/30/93  9/30/94   9/30/95   9/30/96
Target 2000   101.01    100.69   100.86    100.99    101.10
Target 2005    99.78    100.21   100.58    100.32    100.71
Target 2010   100.11    100.94   101.38    101.02    102.53
Target 2015   107.05    106.84   107.95    109.62    110.11
Target 2020   101.83    100.76   102.11    102.31    103.60
Target 2025      N/A       N/A      N/A       N/A    109.24

     The Funds' share prices and growth rates are not  guaranteed  by the Trust,
the Manager,  or any of their affiliates.  There is no guarantee that the Funds'
AVMs will fluctuate as little in the future as they have in the past.

     *A Fund's weighted  average maturity date can be calculated at any point in
time by adding its WAM to the current date. For example,  if today were November
17,  1995,  and the  Fund's  WAM were six years,  the  Fund's  weighted  average
maturity  date would be November  17, 2001.  Please note that a Fund's  weighted
average  maturity  date  typically  precedes  the date on which the Fund will be
liquidated. For details on Fund liquidation, see page 22.

ZERO COUPON SECURITIES

     Zero-coupon U.S. Treasury  securities (or zeros) are the unmatured interest
coupons and underlying  principal  portions of U.S. Treasury bonds.  Originally,
these  securities were created by  broker-dealers  who bought Treasury bonds and
deposited these securities with a custodian bank. The  broker-dealers  then sold
receipts  representing  ownership interests in the coupons or principal portions
of the bonds.  Some examples of zero-coupon  securities  sold through  custodial
receipt  programs  are CATS  (Certificates  of Accrual on Treasury  Securities),
TIGRs  (Treasury   Investment  Growth  Receipts),   and  generic  TRs  (Treasury
Receipts).

     The U.S. Treasury subsequently introduced a program called Separate Trading
of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities ("STRIPS"),  through which it
exchanges  eligible  securities  for their  component  parts and then allows the
component parts to trade in book-entry form.  (Book-entry trading eliminates the
bank credit risks  associated  with  broker-dealer-sponsored  custodial  receipt
programs.)  STRIPS are direct  obligations  of the U.S.  government and have the
same credit risks as other U.S. Treasury securities.

     Principal  and  interest  on  bonds  issued  by  the   Resolution   Funding
Corporation  ("REFCORP")  have also been  separated  and  issued as  zero-coupon
securities.  The U.S.  government  and its  agencies  may  issue  securities  in
zero-coupon   form.   These  securities  are  referred  to  as  "original  issue
zero-coupon securities."

OTHER INVESTMENTS

     As  a  Fund's  target  maturity  year  approaches,   the  Manager  may  buy
coupon-bearing  securities whose duration and price  characteristics are similar
to those of aging  zero-coupon  securities.  Towards the end of a Fund's  target
maturity  year and  until  the Fund is  liquidated,  the  proceeds  of  maturing
zero-coupon securities are invested in U.S. Treasury bills.

OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES, THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
AND RISKS

     The Funds are designed for investors  with long-term  financial  goals that
correspond to one or more of the target  maturities  offered.  Investors who use
zeros or the Funds for short-term  speculative  purposes should understand that,
although most of the reinvestment risk associated with coupon-bearing  bonds has
been eliminated, the prices of zeros can fluctuate dramatically between issuance
and maturity.  When interest  rates rise, the price of a zero falls more sharply
than  the   price  of  a   coupon-bearing   security   of  the  same   maturity.
Correspondingly,  when  interest  rates  fall,  the price of a zero  rises  more
sharply than the price of a coupon-bearing security.

     Each Fund's share price will  fluctuate  daily in response to Fund activity
and changes in the market value of its investments.  Due to the price volatility
of zeros,  redemptions made prior to a Fund's target maturity year may result in
unanticipated  capital  gains or losses for the Funds.  These  capital gains and
losses will be  distributed  to  shareholders  regardless  of whether  they have
redeemed shares.  Although  shareholders have the option to redeem shares on any
business day, those seeking to minimize their exposure to share price volatility
should plan to hold their shares until the end of their Fund's  target  maturity
year.

12  Information Regarding the Funds                 American Century Investments



     Investing in a portfolio of zeros is different from investing directly in a
zero.  Although the Manager  adheres to investment  policies  designed to assure
close  correspondence  between  the price  behavior of a Fund and that of a zero
with the same maturity characteristics,  precise forecasts of maturity value and
yield to maturity are not possible.

     For additional information regarding the investment practices of any of the
Funds, see the Statement of Additional Information.

COUPON-BEARING U.S. TREASURY SECURITIES

     U.S.  Treasury bills,  notes, and bonds are direct  obligations of the U.S.
Treasury.  Historically, they have involved no risk of loss of principal if held
to  maturity.  Between  issuance  and  maturity,  however,  the  prices of these
securities   change  in   response   to  changes  in  market   interest   rates.
Coupon-bearing  securities  generate  current interest  payments,  and part of a
Fund's return may come from reinvesting interest earned on these securities.

REFCORP BONDS

     REFCORP  issues bonds whose  interest  payments are  guaranteed by the U.S.
Treasury and whose principal  amounts are secured by zero-coupon  U.S.  Treasury
securities held in a separate  custodial  account at the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York.  The principal  amount and maturity date of REFCORP bonds are the same
as the par amount and maturity date of the  corresponding  zeros; upon maturity,
REFCORP bonds are repaid from the proceeds of the zeros.

CASH MANAGEMENT

     Each Fund may invest up to 5% of its total  assets in money  market  funds,
including  those  advised  by the  Manager,  provided  that  the  investment  is
consistent with the Fund's investment policies and restrictions.

SECURITIES LENDING

     The  Funds  may  lend  portfolio   securities  to  broker-dealers  to  earn
additional income. This practice could result in a loss or a delay in recovering
the Fund's securities.  Securities loans are subject to guidelines prescribed by
the  board of  trustees,  which  are set forth in the  Statement  of  Additional
Information.  Loans are limited to one-third of the Fund's total assets and must
be fully collateralized.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

     The  portfolio  turnover  rates of the  Funds  are  shown in the  Financial
Highlights tables on pages 5-10 of this Prospectus.

     Investment  decisions  to  purchase  and sell  securities  are based on the
anticipated  contribution  of the security in question to the particular  fund's
objectives.  The  manager  believes  that  the  rate of  portfolio  turnover  is
irrelevant  when it determines a change is in order to achieve those  objectives
and,  accordingly,  the annual  portfolio  turnover  rate  cannot be  accurately
anticipated.

     The  portfolio  turnover of each Fund may be higher than other mutual funds
with similar investment  objectives.  The Funds' annual portfolio turnover rates
are not  expected  to  exceed  150% and may vary  from  year to year.  An annual
portfolio turnover rate of 100% or more is considered high. A high turnover rate
involves  correspondingly  higher transaction costs that are borne directly by a
Fund. Portfolio turnover may also affect the character of capital gains, if any,
realized and distributed by a Fund since short-term capital gains are taxable as
ordinary income.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES

     Generally,  the state  tax-exempt  interest  income  earned by the Funds is
passed through to the Funds' shareholders as state tax-free dividends.

     Each Fund may therefore quote state  tax-equivalent  yields, which show the
state  taxable  yields an investor  would have to earn before taxes to equal the
Fund's state tax-free yields. As a prospective investor in the Funds, you should
determine whether your state  tax-equivalent yield is likely to be higher with a
taxable or with a tax-exempt  Fund. To determine  this, you may use the formulas
depicted below.

     The  tax-equivalent  yield is based on each Fund's  current state  tax-free
yield and your state income tax rate. The formula is:

 Fund's State Tax-Free Yield           Your State
     100% - State Tax Rate      =    Tax-Equivalent
                                          Yield

PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

     From  time  to  time,  the  Funds  may  advertise  performance  data.  Fund
performance may be shown by pre-

Prospectus                                   Information Regarding the Funds  13



senting one or more performance measurements,  including cumulative total return
or average  annual  total  return,  yield,  effective  yield and  tax-equivalent
yield(for tax-exempt funds).

     Cumulative  total  return data is computed by  considering  all elements of
return,  including  reinvestment  of dividends and capital gains  distributions,
over a stated  period of time.  Average  annual  total return is  determined  by
computing  the annual  compound  return over a stated  period of time that would
have  produced  the Fund's  cumulative  total return over the same period if the
Fund's performance had remained constant throughout.

     A  quotation  of yield  reflects  a  Fund's  income  over a  stated  period
expressed as a percentage  of the Fund's share  price.  The  effective  yield is
calculated in a similar  manner but, when  annualized,  the income earned by the
investment is assumed to be  reinvested.  The  effective  yield will be slightly
higher  than  the  yield  because  of the  compounding  effect  on  the  assumed
reinvestment.

     Yield is  calculated  by adding  over a 30-day  (or  one-month)  period all
interest and dividend  income (net of fund  expenses)  calculated  on each day's
market  values,  dividing  this  sum  by  the  average  number  of  Fund  shares
outstanding  during the period, and expressing the result as a percentage of the
Fund's  share  price on the last day of the 30-day (or one  month)  period.  The
percentage is then annualized.  Capital gains and losses are not included in the
calculation.

     Yields are calculated according to accounting methods that are standardized
in accordance with SEC rules. The SEC yield should be regarded as an estimate of
the Fund's rate of  investment  income,  and it may not equal the Fund's  actual
income  distribution  rate, the income paid to a shareholder's  account,  or the
income reported in the Fund's financial statements.

     A tax-equivalent  yield demonstrates the taxable yield necessary to produce
after-tax  yield  equivalent  to that of a mutual  fund which  invests in exempt
obligations. See "U.S. Government Securities," page 13, for a description of the
formulas used in comparing yields to tax-equivalent yields.

     The Funds may also include in  advertisements  data  comparing  performance
with the  performance  of  non-related  investment  media,  published  editorial
comments and performance rankings compiled by independent organizations (such as
Lipper  Analytical  Services or Donoghue's  Money Fund Report) and  publications
that monitor the  performance of mutual funds.  Performance  information  may be
quoted numerically or may be presented in a table, graph or other  illustration.
In addition,  Fund  performance may be compared to well-known  indices of market
performance.  Fund performance may also be compared, on a relative basis, to the
other funds in our fund family.  This  relative  comparison,  which may be based
upon  historical  or  expected  Fund  performance,   volatility  or  other  Fund
characteristics,  may be presented  numerically,  graphically  or in text.  Fund
performance may also be combined or blended with other funds in our fund family,
and that combined or blended  performance may be compared to the same indices to
which individual funds may be compared.

     All performance information advertised by the Funds is historical in nature
and is not intended to represent or guarantee future results.  The value of Fund
shares when redeemed may be more or less than their original cost.

14  Information Regarding the Funds                 American Century Investments



                               HOW TO INVEST WITH
                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

     The Funds  offered by this  Prospectus  are a part of the American  Century
Investments  family  of  mutual  funds.  Our  family  provides  a full  range of
investment  opportunities,  from  the  aggressive  equity  growth  funds  in our
Twentieth  Century Group,  to the fixed income funds in our Benham Group, to the
moderate risk and specialty  funds in our American  Century  Group.  Please call
1-800-345-2021  for a  brochure  or  prospectuses  for the  other  funds  in the
American Century Investments family.

INVESTING IN AMERICAN CENTURY

     The following  section  explains how to invest in American  Century  funds,
including purchases, redemptions,  exchanges and special services. You will find
more detail about doing  business with us by referring to the Investor  Services
Guide that you will receive when you open an account.

     If  you  own  or  are   considering   purchasing  Fund  shares  through  an
employer-sponsored  retirement  plan or through a bank,  broker-dealer  or other
financial  intermediary,  the  following  sections,  as well as the  information
contained  in our Investor  Services  Guide,  may not apply to you.  Please read
"Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans and Institutional Accounts," page 20.

HOW TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT

     To open an account,  you must complete and sign an application,  furnishing
your  taxpayer  identification  number.  (You must also certify  whether you are
subject to  withholding  for failing to report  income to the IRS.)  Investments
received without a certified taxpayer identification number will be returned.

     The minimum investment is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts).  These minimums
will be waived if you  establish  an automatic  investment  plan to your account
that is the  equivalent  of at least $50 per month.  See  "Automatic  Investment
Plan," page 16.

     The minimum  investment  requirements  may be  different  for some types of
retirement  accounts.  Call one of our  Investor  Services  Representatives  for
information  on  our  retirement  plans,  which  are  available  for  individual
investors or for those investing through their employers.

     Please note: If you register  your account as belonging to multiple  owners
(e.g., as joint  tenants),  you must provide us with specific  authorization  on
your  application  in order for us to accept  written or telephone  instructions
from  a  single  owner.  Otherwise,  all  owners  will  have  to  agree  to  any
transactions  that involve the account  (whether the  transaction  request is in
writing or over the telephone).

     You may invest in the following ways:

BY MAIL

     Send a  completed  application  and check or money  order  payable  in U.S.
dollars to American Century Investments.

BY WIRE

     You may make your initial  investment by wiring funds. To do so, call us or
mail  a  completed   application  and  provide  your  bank  with  the  following
information:

     o   RECEIVING BANK AND ROUTING NUMBER:
         Commerce Bank, N.A. (101000019)

     o   BENEFICIARY (BNF):
         American Century Services Corporation
         4500 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri 64111

     o   Beneficiary account number (BNF ACCT):
         2804918

     o   REFERENCE FOR BENEFICIARY (RFB):
         American Century account number into which you are investing.  If more
         than one, leave blank and see Bank to Bank Information below.

     o   ORIGINATOR TO BENEFICIARY (OBI):
         Name and address of owner of account into which you are investing.

     o   BANK TO BANK INFORMATION
         (BBI OR FREE FORM TEXT):

          o    Taxpayer identification or Social Security number

          o    If more  than one  account,  account  numbers  and  amount  to be
               invested in each account.

Prospectus                    How To Invest with American Century Investment  15



          o    Current tax year, previous tax year or rollover designation if an
               IRA. Specify whether IRA, SEP-IRA or SARSEP-IRA.

BY EXCHANGE

     Call  1-800-345-2021  from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time to get information
on opening an account by exchanging from another American  Century account.  See
this page for more information on exchanges.

IN PERSON

     If you prefer to work with a representative in person,  please visit one of
our Investors Centers, located at:

     4500 Main Street
     Kansas City, Missouri 64111

     1665 Charleston Road
     Mountain View, California 94043

     2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
     Denver, Colorado 80222.

SUBSEQUENT INVESTMENTS

     Subsequent  investments  may be  made  by an  automatic  bank,  payroll  or
government direct deposit (see "Automatic Investment Plan," this page) or by any
of  the  methods  below.  The  minimum  investment  requirement  for  subsequent
investments:  $250 for checks  submitted  without  the  remittance  portion of a
previous  statement  or  confirmation,  $50 for all  other  types of  subsequent
investments.

BY MAIL

     When making subsequent investments,  enclose your check with the remittance
portion of the confirmation of a previous investment.  If the investment slip is
not available, indicate your name, address and account number on your check or a
separate  piece of paper.  (Please  be aware  that the  investment  minimum  for
subsequent investments is higher without an investment slip.)

BY TELEPHONE

     Once your  account is open,  you may make  investments  by telephone if you
have authorized us (by choosing "Full Services" on your  application) to draw on
your bank account.  You may call an Investor Services  Representative or use our
Automated Information Line.

BY ONLINE ACCESS

     Once your  account  is open,  you may make  investments  online if you have
authorized us (by choosing "Full Services" on your  application) to draw on your
bank account.

BY WIRE

     You may make  subsequent  investments  by wire.  Follow  the wire  transfer
instructions on page 15 and indicate your account number.

IN PERSON

     You may make  subsequent  investments  in  person  at one of our  Investors
Centers. The locations of our three Investors Centers are listed on this page.

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN

     You may elect on your  application  to make  investments  automatically  by
authorizing us to draw on your bank account regularly.  Such investments must be
at least the  equivalent  of $50 per  month.  You also may  choose an  automatic
payroll or government  direct  deposit.  If you are  establishing a new account,
check the appropriate box under  "Automatic  Investments" on your application to
receive  more  information.  If you  would  like to add a direct  deposit  to an
existing account, please call one of our Investor Services Representatives.

HOW TO EXCHANGE FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER

     As long as you meet any minimum investment  requirements,  you may exchange
your Fund  shares to our other  funds up to six times per year per  account.  An
exchange request will be processed the same day it is received if it is received
before the Funds' net asset  values are  calculated,  which is one hour prior to
the  close  of the New York  Stock  Exchange  for the  Funds  described  in this
Prospectus, and at the close of the Exchange for all of our other funds.
See "When Share Price is Determined," page 21.

     For any single exchange, the shares of each fund being acquired must have a
value of at least $100.  However, we will allow investors to set up an Automatic
Exchange Plan between any two funds in the amount of at least $50 per month. See
our Investor Services Guide for further information about exchanges.

16 How To Invest With American Century Investments  American Century Investments



BY MAIL

     You may direct us in writing to  exchange  your  shares  from one  American
Century account to another. For additional information,  please see our Investor
Services Guide.

BY TELEPHONE

     You can make exchanges over the telephone (either with an Investor Services
Representative or using our Automated Information Line--see page 18) if you have
authorized  us to  accept  telephone  instructions.  You can  authorize  this by
selecting "Full Services" on your application or by calling us at 1-800-345-2021
to get the appropriate form.

BY ONLINE ACCESS

     You  can  make  exchanges  online  if  you  have  authorized  us to  accept
instructions  over the  Internet.  You can  authorize  this by  selecting  "Full
Services"  on your  application  or by calling us at  1-800-345-2021  to get the
appropriate form.

HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

     We will redeem or "buy back" your shares at any time.  Redemptions  will be
made at the next net asset value determined after a complete  redemption request
is received.

     Please  note that a request to redeem  shares in an IRA or 403(b) plan must
be  accompanied  by an  executed  IRS Form W4-P and a reason for  withdrawal  as
specified by the IRS.

BY MAIL

     Your  written  instructions  to  redeem  shares  may be  made  either  by a
redemption form,  which we will send to you upon request,  or by a letter to us.
Certain  redemptions  may require a signature  guarantee.  Please see "Signature
Guarantee," page 18.

BY TELEPHONE

     If you have authorized us to accept telephone instructions,  you may redeem
your shares by calling an Investor Services Representative.

BY CHECK-A-MONTH

     If you have at least a $10,000  balance  in your  account,  you may  redeem
shares by  Check-A-Month.  A  Check-A-Month  plan  automatically  redeems enough
shares each month to provide  you with a check in an amount you choose  (minimum
$50). To set up a Check-A-Month  plan, please call and request our Check-A-Month
brochure.

OTHER AUTOMATIC REDEMPTIONS

     If you have at least a $10,000  balance in your  account,  you may elect to
make  redemptions  automatically by authorizing us to send funds directly to you
or to your account at a bank or other financial institution. To set up automatic
redemptions, call one of our Investor Services Representatives.

REDEMPTION PROCEEDS

     Please  note that  shortly  after a purchase  of shares is made by check or
electronic  draft (also known as an ACH draft) from your bank, we may wait up to
15 days or longer to send  redemption  proceeds (to allow your purchase funds to
clear).  No interest is paid on the redemption  proceeds after the redemption is
processed but before your redemption proceeds are sent.

     Redemption proceeds may be sent to you in one of the following ways:

BY CHECK

     Ordinarily,  all  redemption  checks will be made payable to the registered
owner of the shares and will be mailed only to the  address of record.  For more
information, please refer to our Investor Services Guide.

BY WIRE AND ACH

     You may authorize us to transmit  redemption proceeds by wire or ACH. These
services will be effective 15 days after we receive the authorization.

     Your bank will usually receive wired funds within 48 hours of transmission.
Funds  transferred  by ACH may be received up to seven days after  transmission.
Wired  funds  are  subject  to a $10 fee to cover  bank wire  charges,  which is
deducted from redemption proceeds.  Once the funds are transmitted,  the time of
receipt and the funds' availability are not under our control.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN
LOW-BALANCE ACCOUNTS

     Whenever  the  shares  held in an  account  have a value  of less  than the
required  minimum,  a letter will be sent advising you to either bring the value
of the shares held in the account up to the minimum or to establish an

Prospectus                    How To Invest with American Century Investments 17



automatic investment that is the equivalent of at least $50 per month. If action
is not taken within 90 days of the letter's date, the shares held in the account
will be redeemed and proceeds from the redemption  will be sent by check to your
address of record. We reserve the right to increase the investment minimums.

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

     To protect  your  accounts  from fraud,  some  transactions  will require a
signature guarantee.  Which transactions will require a signature guarantee will
depend on which  service  options  you elect  when you open  your  account.  For
example, if you choose "In Writing Only," a signature guarantee will be required
when:

     o    redeeming more than $25,000; or

     o    establishing or increasing a Check-A-Month or automatic transfer on an
          existing account.

     You may obtain a signature  guarantee from a bank or trust company,  credit
union,  broker-dealer,  securities  exchange or association,  clearing agency or
savings association, as defined by federal law.

     For a more in-depth  explanation of our signature  guarantee  policy, or if
you live  outside  the  United  States  and  would  like to know how to obtain a
signature guarantee, please consult our Investor Services Guide.

     We reserve the right to require a signature  guarantee on any  transaction,
or to change this policy at any time.

SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

     We offer  several  service  options to make your account  easier to manage.
These are listed on the account  application.  Please make note of these options
and  elect  the ones  that are  appropriate  for you.  Be aware  that the  "Full
Services" option offers you the most flexibility. You will find more information
about each of these service options in our Investor Services Guide.

     Our special shareholder services include:

AUTOMATED INFORMATION LINE

     We offer an Automated  Information Line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
at 1-800-345-8765.  By calling the Automated Information Line, you may listen to
fund prices,  yields and total return  figures.  You may also use the  Automated
Information  Line to make  investments  into your accounts (if we have your bank
information  on file) and  obtain  your  share  balance,  value and most  recent
transactions.  If you have authorized us to accept telephone  instructions,  you
also may exchange shares from one fund to another via the Automated  Information
Line.  Redemption  instructions  cannot be given via the  Automated  Information
Line.

ONLINE ACCOUNT ACCESS

     You   may   contact   us  24   hours   a  day,   seven   days  a  week   at
www.americancentury.com  to access  your  fund's  daily  share  prices,  receive
updates on major market indexes and view  historical  performance of your funds.
If you select "Full  Services" on your  application,  you can use your  personal
access code and Social Security number to view your account balances and account
activity,  make subsequent investments from your bank account or exchange shares
from one fund to another.

OPEN ORDER SERVICE

     Through our open order  service,  you may designate a price at which to buy
shares of a variable-priced fund by exchange from one of our money market funds,
or a price at which to sell shares of a variable-priced  fund by exchange to one
of our money market funds.  The  designated  purchase  price must be equal to or
lower, or the designated sale price equal to or higher, than the variable-priced
fund's net asset value at the time the order is placed.  If the designated price
is  met  within  90  calendar   days,  we  will  execute  your  exchange   order
automatically at that price (or better). Open orders not executed within 90 days
will be canceled.

     If the fund you have selected deducts a distribution  from its share price,
your order  price will be  adjusted  accordingly  so the  distribution  does not
inadvertently  trigger an open order transaction on your behalf. If you close or
re-register  the  account  from which the shares are to be  redeemed,  your open
order will be canceled.

     Because  of  their  time-sensitive  nature,  open  order  transactions  are
accepted  only by  telephone  or in person.  These  transactions  are subject to
exchange limitations described in each fund's prospectus, except that orders and
cancellations  received  before 2 p.m.  Central time are effective the same day,
and orders or cancellations received after 2 p.m. Central time are effective the
next business day.

18 How To Invest With American Century Investments  American Century Investments



TAX-QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS

     Each Fund is available for your tax-deferred retirement plan. Call or write
us and request the appropriate forms for:

     o    Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs");

     o    403(b) plans for  employees of public  school  systems and  non-profit
          organizations; or

     o    Profit  sharing  plans and pension  plans for  corporations  and other
          employers.

     If your IRA and  403(b)  accounts  do not total  $10,000,  each  account is
subject to an annual $10 fee, up to a total of $30 per year.

     You can also transfer your  tax-deferred plan to us from another company or
custodian. Call or write us for a Request to Transfer form.

IMPORTANT POLICIES REGARDING
YOUR INVESTMENTS

     Every  account is subject to policies  that could  affect your  investment.
Please refer to the Investor  Services Guide for further  information  about the
policies discussed below, as well as further detail about the services we offer.

     (1)  We reserve the right for any reason to suspend the  offering of shares
          for a  period  of time,  or to  reject  any  specific  purchase  order
          (including  purchases by  exchange).  Additionally,  purchases  may be
          refused  if, in the  opinion of the  manager,  they are of a size that
          would disrupt the management of the Fund.

     (2)  We  reserve  the  right  to  make  changes  to any  stated  investment
          requirements,  including those that relate to purchases, transfers and
          redemptions.  In addition,  we may also alter, add to or terminate any
          investor   services  and  privileges.   Any  changes  may  affect  all
          shareholders or only certain series or classes of shareholders.

     (3)  Shares  being  acquired  must be  qualified  for sale in your state of
          residence.

     (4)  Transactions  requesting  a specific  price and date,  other than open
          orders, will be refused. Once you have mailed or otherwise transmitted
          your  transaction  instructions  to us,  they may not be  modified  or
          canceled.

     (5)  If a transaction request is made by a corporation, partnership, trust,
          fiduciary,  agent  or  unincorporated  association,  we  will  require
          evidence  satisfactory to us of the authority of the individual making
          the request.

     (6)  We have established  procedures designed to assure the authenticity of
          instructions   received  by  telephone.   These   procedures   include
          requesting personal  identification from callers,  recording telephone
          calls, and providing written confirmations of telephone  transactions.
          These   procedures   are   designed  to  protect   shareholders   from
          unauthorized  or  fraudulent   instructions.   If  we  do  not  employ
          reasonable procedures to confirm the genuineness of instructions, then
          we  may  be  liable  for  losses  due to  unauthorized  or  fraudulent
          instructions.  The company,  its transfer agent and investment advisor
          will  not  be  responsible  for  any  loss  due to  instructions  they
          reasonably believe are genuine.

     (7)  All  signatures   should  be  exactly  as  the  name  appears  in  the
          registration.  If the owner's name appears in the registration as Mary
          Elizabeth Jones, she should sign that way and not as Mary E. Jones.

     (8)  Unusual  stock  market  conditions  have in the  past  resulted  in an
          increase  in  the  number  of  shareholder  telephone  calls.  If  you
          experience difficulty in reaching us during such periods, you may send
          your  transaction  instructions  by  mail,  express  mail  or  courier
          service,  or you may visit one of our Investors Centers.  You may also
          use our Automated  Information Line if you have requested and received
          an access code and are not attempting to redeem shares.

     (9)  If you  fail  to  provide  us  with  the  correct  certified  taxpayer
          identification number, we may reduce any redemption proceeds by $50 to
          cover the penalty the IRS will impose on us for failure to report your
          correct taxpayer identification number on information reports.

     (10) We will perform special inquiries on shareholder  accounts. A research
          fee of $15 per hour may be applied.

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

     At the end of  each  calendar  quarter,  we will  send  you a  consolidated
statement that summarizes all of your American Century  holdings,  as well as an
individual statement for each fund you own that reflects all

Prospectus                   How To Invest with American Century Investments  19



year-to-date  activity in your  account.  You may  request a  statement  of your
account activity at any time.

     With the exception of most  automatic  transactions,  each time you invest,
redeem,  transfer or exchange  shares,  we will send you a  confirmation  of the
transactions. See the Investor Services Guide for more detail.

     Carefully  review all the  information  relating  to  transactions  on your
statements  and  confirmations  to ensure that your  instructions  were acted on
properly.  Please notify us immediately in writing if there is an error.  If you
fail to provide  notification  of an error  with  reasonable  promptness,  i.e.,
within 30 days of  non-automatic  transactions  or within 30 days of the date of
your consolidated quarterly statement, in the case of automatic transactions, we
will deem you to have ratified the transaction.

     No later than  January  31st of each year,  we will send you  reports  that
you  may use in  completing  your  U.S.  income  tax  return.  See the  Investor
Services Guide for more information.

     Each year, we will send you an annual and a semiannual  report  relating to
your fund, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.  The annual report
includes audited financial  statements and a list of portfolio  securities as of
the  fiscal  year  end.  The  semiannual  report  includes  unaudited  financial
statements  for the first six  months of the fiscal  year,  as well as a list of
portfolio  securities at the end of the period. You also will receive an updated
prospectus at least once each year.  Please read these materials  carefully,  as
they will help you understand your fund.

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED RETIREMENT PLANS AND
INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS

     Information   contained  in  our  Investor   Services   Guide  pertains  to
shareholders  who invest  directly with American  Century rather than through an
employer-sponsored retirement plan or through a financial intermediary.

     If  you  own  or  are   considering   purchasing  fund  shares  through  an
employer-sponsored  retirement  plan,  your  ability to  purchase  shares of the
funds, exchange them for shares of other American Century funds, and redeem them
will depend on the terms of your plan.

     If you  own or are  considering  purchasing  fund  shares  through  a bank,
broker-dealer,  insurance company or other financial intermediary,  your ability
to purchase,  exchange and redeem shares will depend on your agreement with, and
the policies of, such financial intermediary.

     You may reach one of our Institutional  Service  Representatives by calling
1-800-345-3533 to request information about our funds and services,  to obtain a
current  prospectus or to get answers to any questions  about our funds that you
are unable to obtain through your plan administrator or financial intermediary.

20 How To Invest With American Century Investments  American Century Investments



                     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

SHARE PRICE

WHEN SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

     The price of your shares is also referred to as their net asset value.  Net
asset value is determined  by  calculating  the total value of a fund's  assets,
deducting  total  liabilities  and  dividing  the result by the number of shares
outstanding.  Net asset  value  for the  Funds  offered  by this  Prospectus  is
determined one hour before the close of regular trading on each day that the New
York Stock  Exchange is open,  usually 2 p.m.  Central time. Net asset value for
all other American  Century funds is determined at the close of regular  trading
on the Exchange.

     Investments  and  requests  to redeem or exchange  shares will  receive the
share price next determined after receipt by us of the investment, redemption or
exchange  request.  For example,  investments and requests to redeem or exchange
shares received by us or one of our agents one hour before the close of business
on the Exchange are effective on and will receive the price  determined one hour
before the close of the Exchange.  Investment,  redemption and exchange requests
received  thereafter  are effective on, and receive the price  determined as of,
the close of the Exchange on the next day the Exchange is open.

     Investments  are  considered  received only when payment is received by us.
Wired funds are  considered  received on the day they are  deposited in our bank
account  if they are  deposited  one hour  before the close of  business  on the
Exchange.

     Investments by telephone pursuant to your prior authorization to us to draw
on your bank account are considered received at the time of your telephone call.

     Investment and transaction  instructions received by us on any business day
by mail prior to the close of business on the  Exchange  will receive that day's
price.  Investments and  instructions  received after that time will receive the
price determined on the next business day.

     If you invest in fund shares through an employer-sponsored  retirement plan
or  other  financial  intermediary,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  your  plan
recordkeeper or financial  intermediary to transmit your purchase,  exchange and
redemption requests to the fund's transfer agent prior to the applicable cut-off
time for receiving  orders and to make payment for any purchase  transactions in
accordance with the fund's  procedures or any contractual  arrangement  with the
fund or the fund's distributor in order for you to receive that day's price.

HOW SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

     The valuation of assets for  determining  net asset value may be summarized
as follows:

     The portfolio securities of each Fund, except as otherwise noted, listed or
traded on a domestic  securities  exchange  are valued at the last sale price on
that  exchange.  Portfolio  securities  primarily  traded on foreign  securities
exchanges  are  generally  valued  at  the  preceding  closing  values  of  such
securities on the exchange where primarily traded. If no sale is reported, or if
local convention or regulation so provides, the mean of the latest bid and asked
prices is used.  Depending on local convention or regulation,  securities traded
over-the-counter  are priced at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices,  or
at the last sale  price.  When  market  quotations  are not  readily  available,
securities and other assets are valued at fair value as determined in accordance
with procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.

     Debt  securities not traded on a principal  securities  exchange are valued
through  valuations  obtained from a commercial  pricing  service or at the most
recent  mean of the bid and asked  prices  provided  by  investment  dealers  in
accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT SHARE PRICE

     The net  asset  values of the Funds are  published  in  leading  newspapers
daily.  The net asset values,  as well as yield  information on all of the Funds
and other  funds in the  American  Century  family of funds,  may be obtained by
calling us or by accessing our Web site at www.americancentury.com.

Prospectus                            Additional Information You Should Know  21



DISTRIBUTIONS

     Each  Fund  declares  an  ordinary  income  dividend  (and a  capital  gain
distribution, if necessary) in December.

     Distributions  from net realized  securities  gains, if any,  generally are
declared and paid once a year,  but the Funds may make  distributions  on a more
frequent  basis to comply with the  distribution  requirements  of the  Internal
Revenue Code, in all events in a manner  consistent  with the  provisions of the
1940 Act.

     Participants  in  employer-sponsored   retirement  or  savings  plans  must
reinvest all distributions. For shareholders investing through taxable accounts,
distributions  will be  reinvested  unless  you elect to  receive  them in cash.
Distributions of less than $10 generally will be reinvested.  Distributions made
shortly  after a  purchase  by check  or ACH may be held up to 15 days.  You may
elect to have distributions on shares held in Individual Retirement Accounts and
403(b)  plans  paid  in  cash  only  if you  are at  least  591/2  years  old or
permanently and totally disabled. Distribution checks normally are mailed within
seven days after the record date. Please consult our Investor Services Guide for
further information regarding your distribution options.

BUYING A DIVIDEND

     The timing of your investment could have undesirable tax  consequences.  If
you open a new account or buy more shares for your  current  account just before
the day a dividend or distribution is reflected in your Fund's share price,  you
will  receive  a  portion  of your  investment  back as a  taxable  dividend  or
distribution.

REVERSE SHARE SPLITS

     At the same  time  that the  Funds'  annual  dividends  (and  capital  gain
distributions,  if any) are  declared,  the Board of  Trustees  also  declares a
reverse share split for each Fund that exactly  offsets the per-share  amount of
the Fund's dividends (and capital gain distributions).

     Following a reverse share split,  shareholders  who have chosen to reinvest
dividends and capital gain  distributions  own exactly the same number of shares
they owned prior to the distribution  and reverse share split.  Shareholders who
have  elected to take  distributions  in cash own fewer  shares.  Reverse  share
splits  cause the  Funds'  share  prices to behave  similarly  to the  prices of
directly held zero-coupon  securities with comparable maturity  characteristics.
Although  the  Trustees  intend to  declare a reverse  share  split  each time a
dividend or capital gain distribution is declared, they reserve the right not to
do so.

FUND LIQUIDATION

     During a Fund's target  maturity year,  shareholders  will be asked if they
wish to receive payment of the liquidation proceeds in cash or to exchange their
shares for those of another  American Century fund or another Fund. If the Trust
has not received instructions by December 31 of the Fund's target maturity year,
shares  will  be  exchanged  for  shares  of  American   Century-Benham  Capital
Preservation  Fund  ("CPF") or, if CPF is not  available,  for shares of another
money market fund in the American Century family of funds.

TAXES

     Each  Fund has  elected  to be taxed  under  Subchapter  M of the  Internal
Revenue  Code,  which  means that to the extent  its  income is  distributed  to
shareholders, it pays no income taxes.

TAX-DEFERRED ACCOUNTS

     If Fund  shares are  purchased  through  tax-deferred  accounts,  such as a
qualified  employer-sponsored  retirement  or savings  plan,  income and capital
gains  distributions  paid by the Fund will  generally not be subject to current
taxation,  but will  accumulate in your account under the plan on a tax-deferred
basis.

     Employer-sponsored retirement and savings plans are governed by complex tax
rules.  If you elect to participate in your employer's  plan,  consult your plan
administrator,  your plan's  summary plan  description,  or a  professional  tax
advisor   regarding  the  tax   consequences  of   participation  in  the  plan,
contributions to, and withdrawals or distributions from the plan.

TAXABLE ACCOUNTS

     Zero-coupon  securities  purchased by the Funds accrue  interest  (commonly
referred to as "imputed  income") for federal  income tax  purposes  even though
zeros do not pay current interest. The Funds must distribute this imputed income
to shareholders as ordinary income dividends, which are subject to federal taxes
but exempt from state taxes.

22 Additional Information You Should Know           American Century Investments



     Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are
taxable to you as ordinary income, except as described below. The dividends from
net   income  of  the  fixed   income   funds  do  not   qualify   for  the  70%
dividends-received  deduction  for  corporations  since  they are  derived  from
interest  income.  Dividends  representing  income derived from tax-exempt bonds
generally  retain the bonds'  tax-exempt  character  in a  shareholder's  hands.
Distributions  from net long-term capital gains are taxable as long-term capital
gains  regardless  of the  length of time you have held the shares on which such
distributions are paid. However, you should note that any loss realized upon the
sale or  redemption  of shares  held for six months or less will be treated as a
long-term  capital loss to the extent of any  distribution of long-term  capital
gain to you with respect to such shares.

     Distributions  are taxable to you  regardless  of whether they are taken in
cash or reinvested,  even if the value of your shares is below your cost. If you
purchase shares shortly before a capital gain distribution,  you must pay income
taxes on the  distribution,  even though the value of your investment (plus cash
received, if any) will not have increased.  In addition,  the share price at the
time you purchase shares may include  unrealized gains in the securities held in
the  investment  portfolio  of the  fund.  If  these  portfolio  securities  are
subsequently  sold and the gains are  realized,  they  will,  to the  extent not
offset by capital losses,  be paid to you as a distribution of capital gains and
will be taxable to you as short-term or long-term capital gains.

     In January of the year following the  distribution,  if you own shares in a
taxable account, you will receive a Form 1099-DIV notifying you of the status of
your distributions for federal income tax purposes.

     Distributions  may also be subject to state and local taxes, even if all or
a  substantial  part of such  distribution  are  derived  from  interest on U.S.
government  obligations  which,  if you received them directly,  would be exempt
from state income tax. However, most but not all states allow this tax exemption
to pass  through  to fund  shareholders  when a fund pays  distributions  to its
shareholders.  You should  consult your tax advisor about the tax status of such
distributions in your own state.

     If you have not complied with certain  provisions  of the Internal  Revenue
Code and its  Regulations,  we are required by federal law to withhold and remit
to the IRS 31% of  reportable  payments  (which may include  dividends,  capital
gains  distributions and redemptions).  Those regulations require you to certify
that the Social  Security  number or tax  identification  number you  provide is
correct  and  that  you  are  not  subject  to  31%   withholding  for  previous
under-reporting  to  the  IRS.  You  will  be  asked  to  make  the  appropriate
certification on your application. Payments reported by us that omit your Social
Security  number or tax  identification  number will  subject us to a penalty of
$50,  which  will be charged  against  your  account if you fail to provide  the
certification by the time the report is filed, and is not refundable.

     Redemption of shares of a Fund (including  redemptions  made in an exchange
transaction)  will be a taxable  transaction for federal income tax purposes and
shareholders  will generally  recognize a gain or loss in an amount equal to the
difference  between  the basis of the shares and the amount  received.  Assuming
that  shareholders hold such shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss will be
a capital gain or loss and will generally be long term if shareholders have held
such  shares for a period of more than one year.  If a loss is  realized  on the
redemption of Fund shares,  the reinvestment in additional Fund shares within 30
days before or after the  redemption  may be subject to the "wash sale" rules of
the Internal  Revenue Code,  resulting in a postponement  of the  recognition of
such loss for federal income tax purposes.

MANAGEMENT

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

     The Funds are series of the American  Century Target  Maturities Trust (the
"Trust").  Under the laws of the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  the Board of
Trustees is  responsible  for  managing  the  business and affairs of the Trust.
Acting pursuant to an investment advisory agreement entered into with the Trust,
Benham Management  Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the investment  advisor
of the Funds. Its principal place of business is 1665 Charleston Road,  Mountain
View,  California  94043.  The Manager has been  providing  investment  advisory
services to investment companies and other clients since 1971.

Prospectus                            Additional Information You Should Know  23



     The Manager  supervises and manages the  investment  portfolio of each Fund
and directs the  purchase  and sale of its  investment  securities.  It utilizes
teams of portfolio  managers,  assistant  portfolio managers and analysts acting
together to manage the assets of the Funds.  The teams meet  regularly to review
portfolio  holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity.  The teams adjust
holdings  in the  Funds'  portfolios  and the  Funds'  asset  mix as  they  deem
appropriate in pursuit of the Funds' investment objectives. Individual portfolio
manager members of the team may also adjust  portfolio  holdings of the Funds or
of sectors of the Funds as necessary between team meetings.

     In June 1995,  American  Century  Companies,  Inc.  ("ACC") acquired Benham
Management  International,  Inc., the then-parent company of the Manager. In the
acquisition, the Manager became a wholly owned subsidiary of ACC.

     The portfolio  manager members of the teams managing the Funds described in
this  Prospectus  and  their  work  experience  for the last  five  years are as
follows:

     CASEY  COLTON,   Portfolio  Manager,  joined  the  Manager  in  1990  as  a
Municipal  Analyst  and has been a member of the team that  manages  the  Target
funds since January 1996. Mr. Colton is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

     DAVID  SCHROEDER,  Vice President,  joined the Manager in 1990 and has been
primarily  responsible for the day-to-day  operations of each of the Funds since
July, 1990.

     The activities of the Manager are subject only to directions of the Trust's
Board of Trustees.  For the services provided to the Funds, the Manager receives
a monthly  investment  advisory  fee equal to its pro rata  share of the  dollar
amount  derived  from  applying  the  Trust's  average  daily  net  assets to an
investment advisory fee schedule.

     The  investment  advisory fee rate cannot exceed 0.35% of average daily net
assets,  and it drops to a marginal rate of 0.19% of average daily net assets as
Trust assets increase.

CODE OF ETHICS

     The Funds and the  Manager  have  adopted a Code of Ethics  that  restricts
personal  investing  practices by  employees of the Manager and its  affiliates.
Among other  provisions,  the Code of Ethics requires that employees with access
to information about the purchase or sale of securities in the Funds' portfolios
obtain  preclearance before executing personal trades. With respect to Portfolio
Managers  and  other  investment   personnel,   the  Code  of  Ethics  prohibits
acquisition  of securities  in an initial  public  offering,  as well as profits
derived from the purchase and sale of the same security within 60 calendar days.
These  provisions  are  designed  to  ensure  that  the  interests  of the  Fund
shareholders come before the interests of the people who manage those Funds.

TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

     American  Century  Services  Corporation,  4500 Main  Street,  Kansas City,
Missouri,   64111,   (the   "transfer   agent")  acts  as  transfer   agent  and
dividend-paying  agent for the Funds.  It  provides  facilities,  equipment  and
personnel  to the  Funds  and is  paid  for  such  services  by the  Funds.  For
administrative  services,  each Fund pays the transfer agent a monthly fee equal
to its pro rata share of the dollar  amount  derived  from  applying the average
daily net assets of all of the Funds managed by the Manager.  The administrative
fee rate  ranges from 0.11% to 0.08% of average  daily net  assets,  dropping as
assets managed by the Manager increase.  For transfer agent services,  each Fund
pays the transfer agent a monthly fee for each  shareholder  account  maintained
and for each shareholder transaction executed during that month.

     The Funds charge no sales  commissions,  or "loads," of any kind.  However,
investors  who do not choose to purchase or sell Fund shares  directly  from the
transfer   agent  may   purchase   or  sell  Fund  shares   through   registered
broker-dealers and other qualified service  providers,  who may charge investors
fees for their services.  These  broker-dealers and service providers  generally
provide  shareholder,  administrative  and/or  accounting  services  which would
otherwise be provided by the transfer agent. To accommodate these investors, the
Manager and its affiliates have entered into agreements with some broker-dealers
and service  providers to provide  these  services.  Fees for such  services are
borne  normally by the Funds at the rates  normally paid to the transfer  agent,
which would otherwise provide the services.

24  Additional Information You Should Know          American Century Investments



     From time to time,  special  services  may be offered to  shareholders  who
maintain  higher  share  balances  in our family of funds.  These  services  may
include the waiver of minimum investment requirements, expedited confirmation of
shareholder  transactions,  newsletters and a team of personal  representatives.
Any expenses  associated with these special services will be paid by the Manager
or its affiliates.

     The Manager and the transfer  agent are both wholly owned by ACC.  James E.
Stowers Jr.,  Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACC,  controls ACC by virtue
of his ownership of a majority of its common stock.

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

     The Funds' shares are distributed by American Century Investment  Services,
Inc. (the  "Distributor"),  a registered  broker-dealer  and an affiliate of the
Manager.  The Manager pays all expenses for promoting and  distributing the Fund
shares offered by this Prospectus. The Funds do not pay any commissions or other
fees  to  the   Distributor  or  to  any  other   broker-dealers   or  financial
intermediaries in connection with the distribution of Fund shares.

EXPENSES

     Each Fund pays certain  operating  expenses  directly,  including,  but not
limited to: custodian,  audit, and legal fees; fees of the independent directors
or  trustees;  costs  of  printing  and  mailing  prospectuses,   statements  of
additional information, proxy statements,  notices, and reports to shareholders;
insurance  expenses;  and costs of registering  the Fund's shares for sale under
federal and state securities  laws. See the Statement of Additional  Information
for a more detailed discussion of independent trustee compensation.

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICAN CENTURY

     American  Century Target  Maturities Trust was organized as a Massachusetts
business  trust on  November  8,  1984.  The  Trust is a  diversified,  open-end
management  investment  company.  Its  business  and  affairs are managed by its
officers under the direction of its Board of Trustees.

     The  principal  office of the Trust is American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street, P. O. Box 419200,  Kansas City, Missouri  64141-6200.  All inquiries may
be  made  by  mail  to  that   address,   or  by  telephone  to   1-800-345-2021
(international calls: 816-531-5575).

     The Funds are  individual  series of the Trust which issues  shares with no
par value.  The assets belonging to each series of shares are held separately by
the custodian and in effect each series is a separate fund.

     Each share, irrespective of series, is entitled to one vote for each dollar
of net asset  value  applicable  to such share on all  questions,  except  those
matters  which must be voted on  separately  by the  series of shares  affected.
Matters affecting only one Fund are voted upon only by that Fund.

     Shares have non-cumulative  voting rights,  which means that the holders of
more than 50% of the votes cast in an election of Trustees  can elect all of the
Trustees if they choose to do so, and in such event the holders of the remaining
votes will not be able to elect any person or persons to the Board of Trustees.

     Unless  required by the 1940 Act, it will not be necessary for the Trust to
hold annual meetings of  shareholders.  As a result,  shareholders  may not vote
each year on the election of Trustees or the  appointment of auditors.  However,
pursuant to the Trust's by-laws, the holders of shares representing at least 10%
of the votes  entitled  to be cast may  request  that the  Trust  hold a special
meeting  of  shareholders.  We  will  assist  in the  communication  with  other
shareholders.

     WE  RESERVE  THE  RIGHT  TO  CHANGE  ANY OF  OUR  POLICIES,  PRACTICES  AND
PROCEDURES  DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS,  INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION,  WITHOUT  SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL  EXCEPT  IN THOSE  INSTANCES  WHERE
SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL IS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED.

     THIS  PROSPECTUS  CONSTITUTES AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES OF A FUND ONLY IN
THOSE STATES WHERE THE FUND'S SHARES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED OR OTHERWISE QUALIFIED
FOR SALE. A FUND WILL NOT ACCEPT  APPLICATIONS  FROM PERSONS  RESIDING IN STATES
WHERE THE FUND'S SHARES ARE NOT REGISTERED.

Prospectus                            Additional Information You Should Know  25



P.O. Box 419200
Kansas City, Missouri
64141-6200

Person-to-person assistance:
1-800-345-2021 or 816-531-5575

Automated Information Line:
1-800-345-8765

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
1-800-634-4113 or 816-753-1865

Fax: 816-340-7962
Internet: www.americancentury.com

9701           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-6162       Recycled

                            [american century logo]
                                    American
                                  Century (sm)





                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

                            [american century logo]
                             American Century (sm)

                                 JANUARY 1, 1997

                                     BENHAM
                                    GROUP(R)

                                   Target 2000
                                   Target 2005
                                   Target 2010
                                   Target 2015
                                   Target 2020
                                   Target 2025

                                  [front cover]



                      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                                JANUARY 1, 1997

                    AMERICAN CENTURY TARGET MATURITIES TRUST

This statement is not a prospectus  but should be read in  conjunction  with the
current Prospectus of American Century Target Maturities Trust, dated January 1,
1997.  The Funds' annual report for the fiscal year ended  September 30, 1996 is
incorporated by reference.  Please retain this document for future reference. To
obtain  the  Prospectus,   call  American  Century   Investments   toll-free  at
1-800-345-2021 (international calls: 816-531-5575) or write P.O.
Box 419200, Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6200.

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

Investment Policies and Techniques....................2
Investment Restrictions...............................2
Portfolio Transactions................................3
Valuation of Portfolio Securities.....................4
Predictability of Return..............................4
Performance...........................................6
Taxes.................................................8
About the Trust.......................................8
Trustees and Officers.................................9
Investment Advisory Services.........................10
Transfer and Administrative Services.................12
Distribution of Fund Shares..........................13
Direct Fund Expenses.................................13
Expense Limitation Agreement.........................13
Additional Purchase and Redemption Information.......13
Other Information....................................15

Statement of Additional Information                                   1


INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES

The following  paragraphs provide a more detailed  description of the securities
and investment practices  identified in the Prospectus.  Unless otherwise noted,
the policies  described  in this  Statement of  Additional  Information  are not
fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees.

LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

Each Fund may lend its portfolio  securities  to earn  additional  income.  If a
borrower defaults on a securities loan, the lending Fund could experience delays
in recovering  the securities it loaned;  if the value of the loaned  securities
increased in the meantime, the Fund could suffer a loss. To minimize the risk of
default on securities  loans,  Benham  Management  Corporation  (the  "Manager")
adheres to the following guidelines established by the Board of Trustees:

TYPE  AND  AMOUNT  OF  COLLATERAL.  At the time a loan is  made,  the Fund  must
receive,  from  or  on  behalf  of a  borrower,  collateral  consisting  of  any
combination of cash and full faith and credit U.S.  government  securities equal
to not less  than  102% of the  market  value  of the  securities  loaned.  Cash
collateral  received by a Fund in connection with loans of portfolio  securities
may be  commingled  by the  Fund's  custodian  with  other  cash and  marketable
securities, provided that the loan agreement expressly allows such commingling.

ADDITIONS TO  COLLATERAL.  Collateral  must be marked to market  daily,  and the
borrower must agree to add to collateral to the extent necessary to maintain the
102%  level  specified  in  guideline  (1)  above.  The  borrower  must  deposit
additional collateral not later than the business day following the business day
on which a collateral deficiency occurs or collateral appears to be inadequate.

TERMINATION  OF LOAN.  The Fund must have the  ability  to  terminate  a loan of
portfolio  securities  at any time.  The borrower must be obligated to redeliver
the borrowed securities within the normal settlement period following receipt of
the  termination  notice.  The  normal  settlement  period  for U.S.  government
securities is two trading days.

REASONABLE  RETURN  ON LOAN.  The  borrower  must  agree  that the Fund (a) will
receive all dividends, interest, or other distributions on loaned securities and
(b) will be paid a reasonable  return on such loans either in the form of a loan
fee or premium or from the  retention by the Fund of part or all of the earnings
and profits  realized from the  investment of cash  collateral in full faith and
credit U.S. government securities.

LIMITATIONS ON PERCENTAGE OF FUND ASSETS ON LOAN. A Fund's loans may not
exceed 33-1/3% of its total assets.

CREDIT  ANALYSIS.  As part of the regular  monitoring  procedures  it follows to
evaluate banks and  broker-dealers  in connection with, for example,  repurchase
agreements  and municipal  securities  credit  issues,  the Manager,  the Funds'
investment advisor,  analyzes and monitors the creditworthiness of all borrowers
with whom securities lending agreements are contemplated or entered into.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Funds'  investment  restrictions set forth below are fundamental and may not
be  changed  without  approval  of  a  majority  of  the  outstanding  votes  of
shareholders of the Fund as determined in accordance with the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act").

Each Fund May Not:

(1)  Purchase the  securities  of any issuer (other than  obligations  issued or
     guaranteed by the U.S. government,  its agencies or instrumentalities)  if,
     as a result,  (a) more than 5% of the  value of its total  assets  would be
     invested in the securities of that issuer,  or (b) the Fund would hold more
     than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.

(2)  Purchase the  securities  of any issuer (other than  obligations  issued or
     guaranteed by the U.S. government,  its agencies or instrumentalities)  if,
     as a result, 25% or more of the value of its total assets would be invested
     in securities of issuers having their principal business  activities in the
     same industry.

(3)  Purchase the  securities  of any issuer (other than  obligations  issued or
     guaranteed by the U.S. government,  its agencies or instrumentalities)  if,
     as a  result,  more  than 5% of the  value  of its  total  assets  would be
     invested in the securities (taken at cost) of issuers which, at the time of
     purchase,

2                                          American Century Investments

     had been in operation  less than three years,  including  predecessors  and
     unconditional guarantors.

(4)  Purchase any equity  securities  in any  companies,  including  warrants or
     bonds with warrants attached,  or any preferred stocks,  convertible bonds,
     or convertible debentures.

(5)  Engage in transactions involving puts, calls, straddles, or spreads.

(6)  Invest in securities that are not readily  marketable or the disposition of
     which is restricted under federal securities laws (collectively,  "illiquid
     securities") if, as a result,  more than 10% of the Fund's net assets would
     be invested in illiquid securities.

(7)  Acquire or retain the securities of any other  investment  company if, as a
     result, more than 3% of such investment company's  outstanding shares would
     be held by the Trust, more than 5% of the value of the Trust's assets would
     be invested in shares of such investment  company,  or more than 10% of the
     value of the  Trust's  assets  would be  invested  in shares of  investment
     companies  in  the   aggregate,   except  in  connection   with  a  merger,
     consolidation, acquisition, or reorganization.

(8)  Purchase or retain  securities  of any issuer if, to the  knowledge  of the
     Trust's  management,  those  officers  and Trustees of the Trust and of its
     investment  advisor,  who  each  own  beneficially  more  than  0.5% of the
     outstanding securities of such issuer,  together own beneficially more than
     5% of such securities.

(9)  Acquire securities for the purpose of exercising control over management of
     the issuer.

(10) Issue or sell any class of senior  security  as defined  in the  Investment
     Company Act of 1940.

(11) Purchase, sell, or invest in real estate, commodities, commodity contracts,
     foreign exchange, or interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
     development programs.

(12) May not engage in any short-selling operations.

(13) Purchase  securities on margin,  except for such short-term  credits as are
     necessary for the clearance of purchases of portfolio securities.

(14) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others,  except to the extent
     that  the  purchase  of  portfolio  securities  may  be  deemed  to  be  an
     underwriting.

(15) Borrow money in excess of 33-1/3% of the market value of its total  assets,
     and then only from a bank and as a temporary measure to satisfy  redemption
     requests or for  extraordinary  or emergency  purposes,  and provided  that
     immediately after any such borrowing there is an asset coverage of at least
     300 per centum for all such  borrowings.  To secure any such  borrowing,  a
     Fund may not mortgage,  pledge,  or hypothecate in excess of 33-1/3% of the
     value of its total  assets.  A Fund will not purchase  any  security  while
     borrowings representing more than 5% of its total assets are outstanding. A
     Fund will not borrow in order to increase  income  (leverage),  but only to
     facilitate  redemption requests that might require untimely  disposition of
     portfolio securities.

(16) Make  loans to  others,  except for the  lending  of  portfolio  securities
     pursuant  to  guidelines  established  by the Board of  Trustees or for the
     purchase of debt  securities in accordance  with its investment  objectives
     and policies. 

Unless otherwise indicated,  percentage limitations included in the restrictions
apply at the time the  transactions  are entered  into.  Accordingly,  any later
increase or decrease beyond the specified  limitation resulting from a change in
the Fund's net  assets  will not be  considered  in  determining  whether it has
complied with these investment restrictions.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Each Fund's assets are invested by the Manager in a manner  consistent  with the
Fund's  investment   objective,   policies  and   restrictions,   and  with  any
instructions  the Board of  Trustees  may issue from time to time.  Within  this
framework,  the Manager is responsible for making all  determinations  as to the
purchase and sale of portfolio  securities and for taking all steps necessary to
implement securities  transactions on behalf of the Funds. In placing orders for
the  purchase and sale of  portfolio  securities,  the Manager will use its best
possible price and execution and will otherwise place orders with broker-dealers
subject to and in  accordance  with any  instructions  the Board of Trustees may
issue from time to time. The

Statement of Additional Information                                   3

Manager will select  broker-dealers to execute portfolio  transactions on behalf
of the Funds solely on the basis of best price and execution.

U.S. government  securities generally are traded in the  over-the-counter  (OTC)
market through broker-dealers. A broker-dealer is a securities firm or bank that
makes a market  for  securities  by  offering  to buy at one price and sell at a
slightly higher price. The difference between these prices is known as a spread.

The  Manager  expects  to  execute  most  transactions  on a net  basis  through
broker-dealers  unless it is determined  that a better price or execution can be
obtained on a commission basis through a broker.  Portfolio  securities may also
be purchased directly from the issuer.  The Funds paid no brokerage  commissions
during the fiscal years ended September 30, 1996, 1995 and 1994.

Each Fund may hold  portfolio  securities  until they mature,  or it may sell or
otherwise  dispose of these  securities,  replacing  them with other  securities
consistent with its investment objective and policies. The Funds' turnover rates
for the fiscal years ended  September  30, 1996 and 1995,  are  indicated in the
following table.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Fiscal              Fiscal
Fund               1996                1995
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000       29.24%              52.64%
Target 2005       31.36%              34.23%
Target 2010       24.42%              26.00%
Target 2015       17.24%              69.97%
Target 2020       47.05%              78.08%
Target 2025       60.80%                N/A
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

VALUATION OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

Each  Fund's  net asset  value per share  ("NAV") is  calculated  as of one hour
before the close of business of the New York Stock  Exchange  (the  "Exchange"),
usually 3:00 p.m.  Central time each day the Exchange is open for business.  The
Exchange has designated the following  holiday closings for 1997: New Year's Day
(observed),  Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor
Day,  Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (observed).  Although the Funds expect
the same holiday schedule to be observed in the future,  the Exchange may modify
its holiday schedule at any time.

The Manager  typically  completes  its trading on behalf of each Fund in various
markets  before the  Exchange  closes for the day.  Each  Fund's  share price is
calculated  by adding the value of all  portfolio  securities  and other assets,
deducting  liabilities,  and  dividing  the  result  by  the  number  of  shares
outstanding. Expenses and interest on portfolio securities are accrued daily.

Most  securities  held by the Funds are  priced at  market  value  using  prices
obtained from an  independent  pricing  service.  Because of the large number of
zero-coupon  Treasury  obligations  available,  many do not trade  each day.  In
valuing  these  securities,  the pricing  service  generally  takes into account
institutional  trading,  trading  in  similar  groups  of  securities,  and  any
developments related to specific securities.

The methods used by the pricing  service and the valuations so  established  are
reviewed by the Manager under the general  supervision of the Board of Trustees.
There are a number of pricing services  available.  The Manager, on the basis of
ongoing  evaluation  of  these  services,  may use  other  pricing  services  or
discontinue the use of any pricing service in whole or in part.

Securities  maturing  within  60 days of the  valuation  date may be  valued  at
amortized cost,  which is cost plus or minus any amortized  discount or premium,
unless the Trustees  determine that this would not result in fair valuation of a
given security. Other assets and securities for which quotations are not readily
available  are valued in good faith at their fair  market  value  using  methods
approved by the Board of Trustees.

PREDICTABILITY OF RETURN

ANTICIPATED  VALUE AT MATURITY.  The maturity  values of  zero-coupon  bonds are
specified at the time the bonds are issued, and this feature,  combined with the
ability to  calculate  yield to  maturity,  has made these  instruments  popular
investment vehicles for investors seeking reliable investments to meet long-term
financial goals.

To provide a comparable  investment  opportunity  while  allowing  investors the
flexibility to purchase or redeem shares each day the Trust is open for busi-

4                                          American Century Investments

ness, each Fund consists  primarily of zero-coupon bonds but is actively managed
to accommodate  shareholder  activity and to take advantage of perceived  market
opportunities.  Because of this active management approach, the Manager does not
guarantee  that a certain price per share will be attained by the time a Fund is
liquidated.  Instead,  the  Manager  attempts  to track the price  behavior of a
directly held zero-coupon bond by:

(1)  Maintaining a weighted  average  maturity within the Fund's target maturity
     year;

(2)  Investing at least 90% of assets in securities  that mature within one year
     of the Fund's target maturity year;

(3)  Investing  a  substantial  portion of assets in  Treasury  STRIPS (the most
     liquid Treasury zero);

(4)  Under normal conditions, maintaining a cash balance of less than 1%;

(5)  Executing portfolio  transactions  necessary to accommodate net shareholder
     purchases or redemptions on a daily basis; and

(6)  Whenever feasible,  contacting several U.S.  government  securities dealers
     for each intended transaction in an effort to obtain the best price on each
     transaction.

These measures enable the advisor to calculate an anticipated  value at maturity
(AVM) for each Fund that  approximates the price per share the Fund will achieve
by its weighted average maturity date. The AVM calculation is as follows:

                               AVM = P(1+AGR/2)2T

where P = the Fund's  current price per share; T = the Fund's  weighted  average
term to maturity in years; and AGR = the anticipated growth rate.

This  calculation  assumes that the  shareholder  will reinvest all dividend and
capital gain  distributions  (if any).  It also  assumes an expense  ratio and a
portfolio  composition  that remain  constant for the life of the Fund.  Because
Fund  expenses and  composition  do not remain  constant,  however,  the Manager
calculates AVM for each Fund each day the Trust is open for business.

In addition to the  measures  described  above,  which the Manager  believes are
adequate to assure close correspondence  between the price behavior of each Fund
and the price  behavior  of  directly  held  zero-coupon  bonds with  comparable
maturities, the Trust has made an undertaking to the staff of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  (SEC)  that each Fund will  invest at least 90% of its net
assets in zero-coupon bonds until it is within four years of its target maturity
year and at least 80% of its net assets in zero-coupon securities while the Fund
is within two to four years of its target maturity year. This undertaking may be
revoked if the market supply of zero-coupon securities diminishes  unexpectedly,
although it will not be revoked without prior  consultation  with the SEC staff.
In addition,  the Manager has undertaken that any coupon-bearing  bond purchased
on behalf of a Fund will have a  duration  that falls  within the Fund's  target
maturity year.

ANTICIPATED  GROWTH RATE. The Manager also calculates an anticipated growth rate
(AGR)  for  each  Fund  each  day the  Trust  is  open  for  business.  AGR is a
calculation of the annualized  rate of growth an investor may expect from his or
her  purchase  date to the  Fund's  target  maturity  date.  As is the case with
calculations of AVM, the AGR calculation assumes that the investor will reinvest
all  dividends  and  capital  gain  distributions  (if any) and that the  Fund's
expense ratio and portfolio  composition will remain  constant.  Each Fund's AGR
changes from day to day primarily because of changes in interest rates and, to a
lesser extent, to changes in portfolio composition and other factors that affect
the value of the Fund's investments.

The Manager  expects  that  shareholders  who hold their  shares  until a Fund's
weighted  average  maturity date and who reinvest all dividends and capital gain
distributions  (if any),  will realize an investment  return and maturity  value
that do not differ  substantially from the AGR and AVM calculated on the day his
or her shares were purchased.

The table on the next page illustrates  investor  experience with Target 1990, a
series  of the Trust  that was first  offered  on March 25,  1985,  and that was
liquidated  on January  25,  1991.  This table is not  indicative  of the future
performance of the existing Funds.

Statement of Additional Information                                   5

                  Share                 Weighted
                 Price (P)               Average         AVM
Date              (in $)       AGR    Maturity (T)     (in $)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1985         56.03     10.58        5.64         100.25
June               60.62      9.68        5.42         101.17
September          62.72      9.44        5.08         100.23
December           67.75      8.26        4.95         101.15
March 1986         73.60      6.86        4.69         100.98
June               74.80      6.83        4.38         100.38
September          76.82      6.59        4.16         100.63
December           79.01      6.27        3.86         100.26
March 1987         79.88      6.34        3.59          99.93
June               79.01      7.21        3.27          99.63
September          77.28      8.57        3.14         100.62
December           81.02      7.52         2.7          99.33
March 1988         83.61      6.98        2.51          99.33
June               83.97      6.55        2.62          99.42
September          84.96      6.97        2.09          98.04
December           85.70      8.39        1.68          98.38
March 1989         86.76      9.18        1.50          99.25
June               90.47      7.57        1.23          99.16
September          91.91      7.81        0.98          99.08
December           94.00      7.38        0.74          99.17
March 1990         95.62      7.68        0.52          99.44
June               97.48      7.44        0.32          99.82
September          99.32      6.73        0.15         100.31
December          101.13      4.33        0.07         101.43
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calculations  in the table above may not reconcile  precisely due to rounding of
share price, AGR, and weighted average maturity to two decimal points.

Note that the Target  1990's share price on December 31, 1990,  was not the same
as its AVM on that date because the Fund had not yet been  liquidated  and still
held  short-term  Treasury  securities  with a  25-day  maturity.  The  Fund was
liquidated on January 25, 1991, at a final share price of $101.46.

As a  further  demonstration  of how the  Funds  have  behaved  over  time,  the
following tables show each Fund's AGR and AVM as of September 30 for each of the
past five years.

              9/30/92   9/30/93   9/30/94   9/30/95    9/30/96
                AGR       AGR       AGR       AGR        AGR
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000    6.01%     4.66%     6.76%     5.37%      5.75%
Target 2005    6.89      5.53      7.33      5.75       6.17
Target 2010    7.21      5.92      7.54      6.04       6.44
Target 2015    7.43      6.04      7.56      6.21       6.58
Target 2020    7.37      6.02      7.52      6.20       6.59
Target 2025     N/A       N/A       N/A       N/A       6.43
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


              9/30/92   9/30/93   9/30/94   9/30/95    9/30/96
                AVM       AVM       AVM       AVM        AVM
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000  $101.01   $100.21   $100.86   $100.99    $101.10
Target 2005    99.78    100.21    100.58    100.32     100.71
Target 2010   100.11    100.94    101.38    101.02     102.53
Target 2015   107.05    106.84    107.95    109.62     110.11
Target 2020   101.87    100.76    102.11    102.31     103.60
Target 2025     N/A       N/A       N/A       N/A      109.24
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Funds' share prices and growth rates are not  guaranteed by the Trust or any
of its affiliates.  There is no guarantee that the Funds' AVMs will fluctuate as
little in the future as they have in the past.

PERFORMANCE

The  Funds'  yields and total  returns  may be quoted in  advertising  and sales
literature.  These  figures,  as well as the Fund's share price will vary.  Past
performance should not be considered as indicative of future results.

Yield  quotations are based on the  investment  income per share earned during a
particular  30-day  period,   less  expenses  accrued  during  the  period  (net
investment income),  and are computed by dividing a Fund's net investment income
by its share price on the last day of the  period,  according  to the  following
formula:

                          YIELD = 2 [(a - b + 1)6 - 1]
                                     ------
                                       cd

where a = dividends and interest earned during the period,  b = expenses accrued
for the period (net of  reimbursements),  c = the average daily number of shares
outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive  dividends,  and d =
the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period.

Each Fund's yield for the 30-day  period ended  September  30, 1996,  calculated
using the SEC yield formula described above, is indicated below.

Fund               30-Day Yield
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000            6.15%
Target 2005            6.51%
Target 2010            6.71%
Target 2015            6.80%
Target 2020            6.94%
Target 2025            6.48%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

6                                          American Century Investments


Total returns quoted in advertising and sales literature  reflect all aspects of
a Fund's return,  including the effect of reinvesting dividends and capital gain
distributions and any change in the Fund's NAV during the period.

Average annual total returns are calculated by determining the growth or decline
in value of a hypothetical  historical investment in a Fund over a stated period
and then  calculating  the annually  compounded  percentage rate that would have
produced  the same  result if the rate of growth  or  decline  in value had been
constant  throughout the period.  For example,  a cumulative return of 100% over
ten years would produce an average  annual return of 7.18%,  which is the steady
annual rate that would result in 100% growth on a compounded basis in ten years.
While  average  annual  total  returns  are  a  convenient  means  of  comparing
investment  alternatives,  investors should realize that a Fund's performance is
not constant  over time but changes from  year-to-year  and that average  annual
total  returns  represent  averaged  figures as  opposed to actual  year-to-year
performance.

The Funds' average annual total returns for the one-year,  five-year,  ten-year,
and  life-of-fund  periods  ended  September  30,  1996,  are  indicated  in the
following table.

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      One-          Five-         Ten-       Life-of-
Fund                  Year          Year          Year         Fund
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000(1)        4.02%         8.71%         9.35%       13.03%
Target 2005(1)        2.16%        10.48%        10.34%       14.73%
Target 2010(1)        0.78%        11.11%        10.37%       15.80%
Target 2015(2)       (0.75)%       11.63%         9.38%        9.70%
Target 2020(3)       (2.09)%       11.90%          N/A         9.39%
Target 2025(4)         N/A           N/A           N/A       (15.18)%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Commenced operations on March 25, 1985.
(2) Commenced operations on September 1, 1986.
(3) Commenced operations on December 29, 1989.
(4) Commenced operations on February 16, 1996.

In addition to average annual total returns,  each Fund may quote  unaveraged or
cumulative total returns  reflecting the simple change in value of an investment
over a stated period.  Average annual and cumulative total returns may be quoted
as  percentages  or as  dollar  amounts  and  may  be  calculated  for a  single
investment,  a series of investments,  or a series of redemptions  over any time
period.  Total  returns may be broken down into their  components  of income and
capital  (including  capital gains and changes in share price) to illustrate the
relationship of these factors and their contributions to total return.

The Funds'  performances  may be compared with the  performance  of other mutual
funds  tracked by mutual  fund rating  services or with other  indexes of market
performance.  This may include  comparisons with funds that, unlike the American
Century funds, are sold with a sales charge or deferred sales charge. Sources of
economic data that may be considered in making such comparisons may include, but
are not limited to, U.S. Treasury bill, note, and bond yields, money market fund
yields, U.S.  government debt and percentage held by foreigners,  the U.S. money
supply, net free reserves,  and yields on current-coupon GNMAs (source: Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve  System);  the federal funds and discount rates
(source:  Federal  Reserve  Bank of New York);  yield  curves for U.S.  Treasury
securities and AA/AAA-rated  corporate  securities (source:  Bloomberg Financial
Markets);  yield curves for AAA-rated  tax-free  municipal  securities  (source:
Telerate);  yield curves for foreign government  securities (sources:  Bloomberg
Financial  Markets and Data  Resources,  Inc.);  total  returns on foreign bonds
(source:  J.P.  Morgan  Securities  Inc.);  various U.S. and foreign  government
reports;  the junk bond market (source:  Data Resources,  Inc.); the CRB Futures
Index  (source:  Commodity  Index Report);  the price of gold  (sources:  London
a.m./p.m.  fixing and New York Comex Spot Price); rankings of any mutual fund or
mutual fund category tracked by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. or Morningstar,
Inc.;  mutual  fund  rankings   published  in  major,   nationally   distributed
periodicals;  data  provided  by  the  Investment  Company  Institute;  Ibbotson
Associates,  Stocks, Bonds, Bills, and Inflation;  major indexes of stock market
performance;  and  indexes and  historical  data  supplied  by major  securities
brokerage or investment advisory firms. The Funds may also utilize reprints from
newspapers  and magazines  furnished by third  parties to illustrate  the Funds'
historical performances.

Statement of Additional Information                                   7


TAXES

Each Fund intends to qualify annually as a "regulated  investment company" under
Subchapter M of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").  By
so qualifying, each Fund will be exempt from federal and California income taxes
to the extent that it distributes substantially all of its net investment income
and net realized capital gains to shareholders.

As holders of zero-coupon  Treasury securities  ("zeros"),  the Funds receive no
cash payments of interest prior to the dates these securities  mature.  However,
portfolio  holdings that include zeros accrue interest  (commonly referred to as
"imputed income") for federal income tax purposes.

Under the  Code,  dividends  derived  from  interest,  imputed  income,  and any
short-term  capital  gains are  federally  taxable to  shareholders  as ordinary
income,  regardless of whether such dividends are taken in cash or reinvested in
additional  shares.  Distributions  designated  as being  made from a Fund's net
realized  long-term  capital  gains are  taxable to  shareholders  as  long-term
capital  gains,  regardless  of the length of time  shares  are held.  Corporate
investors are not eligible for the dividends-received  deduction with respect to
distributions from the Funds.

Upon  redeeming,  selling,  or exchanging  shares of a Fund,  shareholders  will
realize  a  taxable  gain or loss  depending  upon  their  basis  in the  shares
liquidated. The gain or loss generally will be long-term or short-term depending
on the length of time the shares  were held.  However,  a loss  recognized  by a
shareholder  in the  disposition  of shares on which capital gain dividends were
paid (or deemed paid) before the shareholder had held his or her shares for more
than six months would be treated as a long-term  capital loss for tax  purposes.

Dividends paid by each Fund are exempt from state  personal  income taxes in all
states  because the Funds derive their income from debt  securities  of the U.S.
government  whose  interest  payments  are state  tax-exempt.  Distributions  of
capital gains are generally not exempt from state and local taxes.

The  information  above  is only a  summary  of  some of the tax  considerations
generally affecting the Funds and their  shareholders;  no attempt has been made
to discuss  individual tax consequences.  A prospective  investor should consult
his or her tax advisor or state or local tax  authorities  to determine  whether
the Funds are suitable investments based on his or her tax situation.

ABOUT THE TRUST

American  Century  Target  Maturities  Trust (the  "Trust")  was  organized as a
Massachusetts  business  trust on November  8, 1984.  The  Declaration  of Trust
permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional  shares
of beneficial  interest without par value, which may be issued in series (each a
Fund).  Currently,  there are six series of the Trust, as follows: Target 2000 ,
Target 2005,  Target 2010,  Target 2015 , Target 2020 and Target 2025. The table
below  lists each  Fund's  current and former  name.  The Board of Trustees  may
create additional  series from time to time. In addition,  the Board of trustees
may liquidate a series at the conclusion of its target maturity year.

Shares of each Fund have equal voting rights, although each Fund votes
separately on matters affecting it exclusively. Voting rights are not
cumulative; investors holding more than 50% of the Trust's outstanding shares
may elect a Board of Trustees. The

FUND NAME AS OF JANUARY, 1997
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2000
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2005
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2010
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2015
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2020
American Century--Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2025
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORMER FUND NAME
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2000 Portfolio
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2005 Portfolio
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2010 Portfolio
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2015 Portfolio
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2020 Portfolio
Benham Target Maturities Trust 2025 Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

8                                          American Century Investments


Trust has instituted  dollar-based voting,  meaning that the number of votes you
are entitled to is based upon the dollar amount of your investment. The election
of Trustees is  determined  by the votes  received  from all Trust  shareholders
without  regard to whether a majority of shares of any one series voted in favor
of a particular  nominee or all nominees as a group. Each shareholder has rights
to dividends and distributions  declared by a Fund and to the net assets of such
Fund  upon its  liquidation  or  dissolution  proportionate  to his or her share
ownership interest in the Fund.

Shareholders   of  a   Massachusetts   business   trust  could,   under  certain
circumstances,  be held  personally  liable for its  obligations.  However,  the
Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for
acts or  obligations  of the Trust.  The  Declaration of Trust also provides for
indemnification and reimbursement of expenses of any shareholder held personally
liable for obligations of the Trust.  The Declaration of Trust provides that the
Trust  will,  upon  request,  assume the  defense of any claim made  against any
shareholder  for any act or  obligation  of the Trust and satisfy  any  judgment
thereon.  The Declaration of Trust further  provides that the Trust may maintain
appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity,  bonding, and errors and omissions
insurance)  for  the  protection  of  the  Trust,  its  shareholders,  Trustees,
officers,  employees,  and agents to cover possible tort and other  liabilities.
Thus,  the  risk  of a  shareholder  incurring  financial  loss  on  account  of
shareholder  liability  is limited  to  circumstances  in which both  inadequate
insurance exists and the Trust itself is unable to meet its obligations.

CUSTODIAN BANK:  Chase Manhattan Bank, 4 Chase Metrotech  Center,  Brooklyn,  NY
11245 and Commerce Bank, N.A., 1000 Walnut,  Kansas City,  Missouri 64106, serve
as custodians of the Trust's assets. Services provided by the custodians include
(a) settling  portfolio  purchases and sales, (b) reporting  failed trades,  (c)
identifying and collecting  portfolio income,  and (d) providing  safekeeping of
securities.  The custodians  take no part in determining  the Funds'  investment
policies or in determining which securities are sold or purchased by the Funds.

INDEPENDENT  AUDITORS:  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, 1000 Walnut,  Suite 1600,  Kansas
City, Missouri 64106, serves as the Trust's  independent  auditors.  KPMG audits
the annual report and provides tax and other services.

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

The Trust's  activities  are  overseen by a Board of Trustees,  including  seven
independent Trustees.  The individuals listed below whose names are marked by an
asterisk (*) are "interested persons" of the Trust (as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940) by virtue of, among other considerations, their affiliation
with  either  the Trust;  the  Trust's  investment  advisor,  Benham  Management
Corporation (the "Manager");  the Trust's agent for transfer and  administrative
services,  American Century Services Corporation (ACS); the Trust's distribution
agent,   American  Century  Investment  Services,   Inc.  (ACIS);  their  parent
corporation,  American Century Companies,  Inc. (ACC) or ACC's subsidiaries;  or
other funds advised by the Manager.  The Trustees listed below serve as Trustees
or Directors of other funds advised by the Manager.  Unless  otherwise  noted, a
date in  parentheses  indicates the date the Trustee or officer began his or her
service in a particular  capacity.  The Trustees' and officers' address with the
exception of Mr. Stowers III and Ms. Roepke is 1665  Charleston  Road,  Mountain
View,  California  94043.  The address of Mr. Stowers III and Ms. Roepke is 4500
Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111.

TRUSTEES

*JAMES M. BENHAM, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (1985); President and
Chief Executive Officer (1996). Mr. Benham is also President and Chairman of
the Board of the Manager (1971); and a member of the Board of Governors of the
Investment Company Institute (1988). Mr. Benham has been in the securities
business since 1963, and he frequently comments through the media on economic
conditions, investment strategies, and the securities markets.

ALBERT A. EISENSTAT, independent Trustee (1995). Mr. Eisenstat is an
independent Director of each of Commercial Metals Co. (1982), Sungard Data
Systems (1991) and Business Objects S/A (1994). Previously, he served as Vice
President of Corporate Development and Corporate Secretary of Apple Computer
and served on its Board of Directors (1985 to 1993).

RONALD J. GILSON, independent Trustee (1995); Charles J. Meyers Professor of
Law and Business at

Statement of Additional Information                                   9


Stanford Law School (1979) and the Mark and Eva Stern Professor of Law and
Business at Columbia University School of Law (1992); Counsel to Marron, Reid
& Sheehy (a San Francisco law firm, 1984).

MYRON S. SCHOLES, independent Trustee (1985). Mr. Scholes is a principal of
Long-Term Capital Management (1993). He is also Frank E. Buck Professor of
Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (1983) and a Director of
Dimensional Fund Advisors (1982) and the Smith Breeden Family of Funds (1992).
From August 1991 to June 1993, Mr. Scholes was a Managing Director of Salomon
Brothers Inc. (securities brokerage).

KENNETH E. SCOTT, independent Trustee (1985). Mr. Scott is Ralph M. Parsons
Professor of Law and Business at Stanford Law School (1972) and a Director of
RCM Capital Funds, Inc. (June 1994).

EZRA SOLOMON,  independent  Trustee (1985). Mr. Solomon is Dean Witter Professor
of Finance Emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he served
as Dean  Witter  Professor  of  Finance  from 1965 to 1990,  and a  Director  of
Encyclopedia Britannica.

ISAAC STEIN,  independent  Trustee  (1992).  Mr. Stein is former Chairman of the
Board  (1990 to 1992) and Chief  Executive  Officer  (1991 to 1992) of Esprit de
Corp.  (clothing  manufacturer).  He  is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Raychem
Corporation (electrical equipment, 1993), President of Waverley Associates, Inc.
(private   investment   firm,   1983),   and  a  Director  of  ALZA  Corporation
(pharmaceuticals,  1987). He is also a Trustee of Stanford University (1994) and
Chairman of Stanford Health Services (hospital, 1994).

*JAMES E. STOWERS III, Trustee (1995). Mr. Stowers III is President, Chief
Executive Officer and Director of ACC, ACS and ACIS.

JEANNE D. WOHLERS, independent Trustee (1985). Ms. Wohlers is a private
investor and an independent Director and partner of Windy Hill Productions,
LP. Previously, she served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
Sybase, Inc. (software company, 1988 to 1992).

OFFICERS

*James M. Benham, President and Chief Executive Officer (1996).

*William M. Lyons, Executive Vice President (1996); Executive Vice President,
Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of the Manager, ACS,
and ACIS.

*Douglas A. Paul,  Secretary (1988),  Vice President (1990), and General Counsel
(1990); Secretary and Vice President of the funds advised by the Manager.

*C. Jean Wade, Controller (1996).

*Maryanne Roepke, CPA, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (1995); Vice
President and Assistant Treasurer of ACS.

As of November 30, 1996, the Trust's  officers and Trustees,  as a group,  owned
less than 1% of each Fund's total shares outstanding. 

The table on the next page summarizes the compensation  that the Trustees of the
Funds  received for the Fund's fiscal year ended  September 30, 1996, as well as
the  compensation  received  for  serving as a Director  or Trustee of all other
funds advised by the Manager.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

Each Fund has an investment  advisory  agreement  with the Manager dated June 1,
1995, that was approved by shareholders on May 31, 1995.

The Manager is a California  corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of ACC, a
Delaware  corporation.  The Manager  became a wholly owned  subsidiary of ACC on
June 1, 1995.  The Manager has served as  investment  advisor to the Funds since
each Fund's  inception.  ACC is a holding  company that owns all of the stock of
the operating companies that provide the investment management, transfer agency,
shareholder service, and other services for the American Century funds. James E.
Stowers,  Jr.,  controls  ACC by virtue of his  ownership  of a majority  of its
common stock.  The Manager has been a registered  investment  advisor since 1971
and is investment advisor to the funds advised by the Manager.

Each Fund's  agreement  with the Manager  continues for an initial period of two
years and thereafter from year to year provided that, after the initial two-year
period,  it is  approved  at least  annually by vote of either a majority of the
Fund's  outstanding  shares,  or by vote of a majority  of the Fund's  Trustees,
including a majority of those Trustees who are neither  parties to the agreement
nor interested persons of any such

10                                         American Century Investments

<TABLE>
TRUSTEE COMPENSATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Aggregate           Pension or Retirement           Estimated              Total Compensation
Name of                      Compensation         Benefits Accrued As Part      Annual Benefits           From Fund and Fund
Trustee*                    From The Fund             of Fund Expenses          Upon Retirement       Complex** Paid to Trustees
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                    <C>                         <C>                         <C>                       <C>    
Albert A. Eisenstat    $ 12   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $47,750
                        249   (Target 2000)
                        200   (Target 2005)
                        100   (Target 2010)
                        110   (Target 2015)
                        643   (Target 2020)
                          9   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ronald J. Gilson     $1,025   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $56,249
                      1,313   (Target 2000)
                      1,240   (Target 2005)
                      1,121   (Target 2010)
                      1,135   (Target 2015)
                      1,755   (Target 2020)
                          9   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myron S. Scholes     $1,029   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $56,000
                      1,310   (Target 2000)
                      1,234   (Target 2005)
                      1,119   (Target 2010)
                      1,135   (Target 2015)
                      1,733   (Target 2020)
                          7   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenneth E. Scott     $1,049   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $64,523
                      1,515   (Target 2000)
                      1,393   (Target 2005)
                      1,202   (Target 2010)
                      1,230   (Target 2015)
                      2,241   (Target 2020)
                          9   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ezra Solomon         $1,035   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $61,083
                      1,398   (Target 2000)
                      1,302   (Target 2005)
                      1,153   (Target 2010)
                      1,172   (Target 2015)
                      1,943   (Target 2020)
                         10   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isaac Stein          $1,036   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $59,000
                      1,381   (Target 2000)
                      1,287   (Target 2005)
                      1,146   (Target 2010)
                      1,165   (Target 2015)
                      1,899   (Target 2020)
                          9   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeanne D. Wohlers    $1,033   (Target 1995)            Not Applicable           Not Applicable                  $59,500
                      1,391   (Target 2000)
                      1,301   (Target 2005)
                      1,154   (Target 2010)
                      1,173   (Target 2015)
                      1,954   (Target 2020)
                          9   (Target 2025)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*    Interested Trustees receive no compensation for their services as such.
**   American Century family of funds includes nearly 70 no-load mutual funds.
</TABLE>

Statement of Additional Information                                  11


party,  cast in person at a meeting  called  for the  purpose  of voting on such
approval.

Each investment  advisory agreement is terminable on sixty days' written notice,
either  by the  Fund  or by the  Manager,  to the  other  party  and  terminates
automatically in the event of its assignment.

Each investment advisory agreement  stipulates that the Manager will provide the
Fund with investment advice and portfolio management services in accordance with
the Fund's investment objective, policies, and restrictions. Each agreement also
provides that the Manager will determine what  securities  will be purchased and
sold by the Fund and assist the Trust's  officers in carrying out decisions made
by the Board of Trustees.

Under the investment advisory  agreements,  each Fund pays the Manager a monthly
investment advisory fee equal to its pro rata share of the dollar amount derived
from  applying  the Trust's  average  daily net assets to the annual  investment
advisory fee schedule below.

Investment Advisory Fee Schedule for the Funds
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 .35% of the first $750 million
 .25% of the next $750 million
 .24% of the next $1 billion
 .23% of the next $1 billion
 .22% of the next $1 billion
 .21% of the next $1 billion
 .20% of the next $1 billion
 .19% of net assets over $6.5 billion
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment  advisory fees paid by each Fund for the fiscal years ended September
30, 1996,  1995and 1994, are indicated in the following  table.  Fee amounts are
net of amounts  reimbursed  or recouped as  described  under the section  titled
"Expense Limitation Agreement."

INVESTMENT ADVISORY FEES*
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Fiscal       Fiscal      Fiscal
Fund                   1996         1995        1994
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000       $  815,109      $984,031    $943,356
Target 2005          672,052       420,328     400,711
Target 2010          368,802       175,368     186,373
Target 2015          410,846       336,887     224,852
Target 2020        2,525,244       422,436     152,691
Target 2025           13,420            --          --
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Net of reimbursements

TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

American Century Services Corporation,  4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri,
64111, (ACS) acts as transfer, administrative services and dividend paying agent
for the Funds. ACS provides facilities, equipment and personnel to the Funds and
is paid for such services by the Funds. For administrative  services,  each Fund
pays ACS a monthly fee equal to its pro rata share of the dollar amount  derived
from  applying the average  daily net assets of all of the Funds  managed by the
Manager to the following administrative fee rate schedule:

Group Assets            Administrative Fee Rate
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
up to $4.5 billion               .11%
up to $6 billion                 .10%
up to $9 billion                 .09%
over $9 billion                  .08%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

For transfer agent services, each Fund pays ACS monthly fees of $1.1875 for each
shareholder  account  maintained  and  $1.35  for each  shareholder  transaction
executed during that month.

Administrative  service and transfer agent fees paid by each Fund for the fiscal
years ended  September 30, 1996,  1995 and 1994,  are indicated in the following
tables.  Fee amounts  are net of  reimbursements  as  described  under  "Expense
Limitation Agreement."

12                                         American Century Investments


ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Fiscal       Fiscal      Fiscal
Fund                   1996         1995        1994
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000          $274,837     $274,835    $265,769
Target 2005           217,047      121,534     113,361
Target 2010           106,951      64,928      54,429
Target 2015           117,664      108,475     66,096
Target 2020           744,692      185,592     50,714
Target 2025           14,090         --          --
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSFER AGENT FEES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Fiscal       Fiscal      Fiscal
Fund                   1996         1995        1994
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000          $267,353     $285,145    $170,682
Target 2005           266,687     $183,211    $104,835
Target 2010           178,493     $130,450     $67,306
Target 2015           178,562     $202,013     $78,543
Target 2020           858,442     $350,332     $69,631
Target 2025           32,597         --          --
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

The Funds' shares are distributed by American Century Investment Services,  Inc.
(ACIS), a registered  broker-dealer and an affiliate of the Manager. The Manager
pays all expenses for promoting and distributing the Fund shares offered by this
Prospectus. The Funds do not pay any commissions or other fees to ACIS or to any
other  broker-dealers  or  financial   intermediaries  in  connection  with  the
distribution of Fund shares.

DIRECT FUND EXPENSES

Each Fund pays certain operating expenses that are not assumed by the Manager or
ACS.  These include fees and expenses of the  independent  Trustees;  custodian,
audit,  tax  preparation,  and pricing fees; fees of outside counsel and counsel
employed  directly  by the Trust;  costs of printing  and mailing  prospectuses,
statements of additional information, proxy statements,  notices, confirmations,
and  reports to  shareholders;  fees for  registering  the Fund's  shares  under
federal and state  securities  laws;  brokerage fees and  commissions  (if any);
trade  association  dues;  costs of fidelity and  liability  insurance  policies
covering  the Fund;  costs for  incoming  WATS lines  maintained  to receive and
handle shareholder inquiries; and organizational costs.

EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

The  Manager  may recover  amounts  absorbed  on behalf of the Funds  during the
preceding 11 months if, and to the extent that,  for any given month,  the Funds
expense limit in effect at that time. The Manager has agreed to limit the Funds'
expenses to .62% of the Funds' average daily net assets until May 31, 1997.

The Funds' contractual expense limit is subject to annual renewal.

Net amounts  absorbed or recouped for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1996,
1995 and 1994, are indicated in the table below.

NET REIMBURSEMENTS (RECOUPMENTS)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Fiscal       Fiscal      Fiscal
Fund                   1996         1995        1994
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target 2000             $0           $0          $0
Target 2005          (16,979)      15,078       1,904
Target 2010          (46,717)      57,258       6,924
Target 2015          (50,080)      51,419       9,885
Target 2020          (251,449)     243,519     27,220
Target 2025           29,985         --          --
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

The Funds' shares are continuously offered at net asset value.  American Century
may reject or limit the amount of an investment  to prevent any one  shareholder
or affiliated  group from  controlling the Trust or one of its series;  to avoid
jeopardizing a series' tax status; or whenever,  in management's  opinion,  such
rejection is in the Trust's or series' best  interest.  As of November 30, 1996,
the  shareholders  owning 5% or more of a Fund's  total  outstanding  shares are
listed on the following page.

Statement of Additional Information                                  13


Fund                          Target 2000
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101-4122
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              491,770.201
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   15.5%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fund                          Target 2005
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              667,158.762
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   16.9%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fund                          Target 2010
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          National Financial Services Corp.
Address                       P.O. Box 3908
                              Church Street Station
                              New York, NY 10008-3908
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              143,277.243
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   5.9%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101-4122
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              543,068.264
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   22.5%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fund                          Target 2015
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              765,111.255
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   22.4%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fund                          Target 2020
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          National Financial Services Corp.
Address                       P.O. Box 3908
                              Church Street Station
                              New York, NY 10008-3908
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              4,674,830.140
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   12.4%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101-4122
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              12,910,920.599
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   8.1%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fund                          Target 2025
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          National Financial Services Corp.
Address                       P.O. Box 3908
                              Church Street Station
                              New York, NY 10008-3908
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              152,280.796
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   8.1%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94101-4122
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# of Shares Held              576,527.425
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   30.4%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACS  charges  neither  fees nor  commissions  on the  purchase  and sale of fund
shares.  However,  ACS may  charge  fees for  special  services  requested  by a
shareholder or necessitated by acts or omissions of a shareholder.  For example,
ACS may charge a fee for processing dishonored investment checks or stop-payment
requests. See the Investor Services Guide for more information.

Share purchases and redemptions are governed by California law.


14                                         American Century Investments


FUND  LIQUIDATIONS.  On or before  January  31st of the year  following a Fund's
target  maturity year, its  investments  will be sold or allowed to mature;  its
liabilities will be discharged, or a provision will be made for their discharge;
and its accounts will be closed.  A shareholder  may choose to redeem his or her
shares in one of the following  ways:  (i) by receiving  redemption  proceeds or
(ii) by exchanging  shares for shares of another  American  Century fund. If the
Fund  receives no  instructions  from a  shareholder,  his or her shares will be
exchanged for shares of Capital  Preservation Fund (or a similar fund if Capital
Preservation Fund is not available).  The estimated  expenses of terminating and
liquidating a Fund will be accrued ratably over its target maturity year.  These
expenses, which are charged to income (as are all expenses), are not expected to
exceed  significantly  the  ordinary  annual  expenses  incurred  by a Fund and,
therefore, should have little or no effect on the maturity value of the Fund.

OTHER INFORMATION

The Funds'  investment  advisor has been  continuously  registered  with the SEC
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 since December 14, 1971. The Trust has
filed  a  registration  statement  under  the  Securities  Act of  1933  and the
Investment  Company  Act of  1940  with  respect  to the  shares  offered.  Such
registrations  do not imply  approval or supervision of the Trust or the advisor
by the SEC.

For further information,  refer to registration  statements and exhibits on file
with the SEC in Washington,  DC. These documents are available upon payment of a
reproduction  fee.  Statements  in the  Prospectus  and  in  this  Statement  of
Additional  Information concerning the contents of contracts or other documents,
copies  of which  are  filed as  exhibits  to the  registration  statement,  are
qualified by reference to such contracts or documents.

Statement of Additional Information                                  15


                                     NOTES


16                                         American Century Investments


                                     NOTES


Notes                                                                17


P.O. Box 419200
Kansas City, Missouri
64141-6200

Person-to-person assistance:
1-800-345-2021 or 816-531-5575

Automated Information Line:
1-800-345-8765

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
1-800-634-4113 or 816-753-1865

Fax: 816-340-7962

Internet: www.americancentury.com



                            [american century logo]
                                    American
                                  Century (sm)

9701           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-6749       Recycled






BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST

1933 Act Post-Effective Amendment No. 26
1940 Act Amendment No. 28
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PART C   OTHER INFORMATION

Item 24.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(a)      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Audited financial statements for each series of
         the Trust for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996, are
         incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's Annual Report
         dated September 30, 1996 filed on November 26, 1996 (Accession 
         # 757928-96-000009).

(b)      EXHIBITS.

                  (1) Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 31, 1995, is
                  incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(b) of
                  Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 filed on November 29, 1995
                  (Accession # 757928-95-000005).

                  (2) Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated May 17, 1995, are 
                  incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(b) of 
                  Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 filed on November 29, 1995 
                  (Accession # 757928-95-000005).

                  (3) Not applicable.

                  (4) Not applicable.

                  (5) Investment Advisory Agreement between Benham Target
                  Maturities Trust: 2000 Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities
                  Trust: 2005 Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2010
                  Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2015 Portfolio,
                  Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2020 Portfolio, Benham
                  Target Maturities Trust: 2025 Portfolio and any additional
                  series and Benham Management Corporation, dated June 1,
                  1995, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5(a) of
                  Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 filed on November 29, 1995
                  (Accession # 757928-95-000005).

                  (6) Distribution Agreement between Benham Target Maturities
                  Trust and Twentieth Century Securities, Inc. dated as of
                  September 3, 1996, is incorporated herein by reference to
                  Exhibit 6 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the
                  Registration Statement of the Benham Government Income Trust
                  filed on August 30, 1996 (Accession # 773674-96-000007).

                  (7) Not applicable.

                  (8) 1993 Omnibus Custodian Agreement between the Benham Group
                  of Funds (including Benham Target Maturities Trust) and State
                  Street Bank and Trust Company, dated August 10, 1993, is
                  incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8 to
                  Post-Effective Amendment No. 22.

                  (9) Administrative Services and Transfer Agency Agreement
                  between Benham Target Maturities Trust and Twentieth Century
                  Services, Inc. dated as of September 3, 1996,. is incorporated
                  herein by reference to Exhibit 9 of Post-Effective Amendment
                  No. 29 to the Registration Statement of the Benham Government
                  Income Trust filed on August 30, 1996 (Accession #
                  773674-96-000007).

                  (10) Opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the
                  securities being registered, dated November 14, 1996 is
                  incorporated herein by reference to the Rule 24f-2 Notice
                  filed on November 14, 1996 (Accession # 757928-96-000008).

                  (11) Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP, independent auditors,
                  is included herein.

                  (12) Not applicable.

                  (13) Not applicable.

                  (14)     (a)Benham Individual Retirement Account Plan, 
                           including all instructions and other relevant 
                           documents, dated February 1992, is incorporated by 
                           reference to Exhibit 14(a) to Post-Effective 
                           Amendment No. 20.

                           (b) Benham Pension/Profit Sharing plan, including all
                           instructions and other relevant documents, dated 
                           February 1992, is incorporated by reference to 
                           Exhibit 14(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20.

                  (15) Not applicable.

                  (16) Schedule for computation of each performance quotation
                  provided in response to Item 22 is included herein.

                  (17) Power of Attorney dated March 4, 1996 is included herein.

Item 25.          Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant.

Not applicable.

Item 26.          Number of Holders of Securities.

As of November 1, 1996, each Portfolio of Benham Target Maturities Trust had the
following number of shareholders of record:

                           2000 Portfolio........................12,626
                           2005 Portfolio........................12,387
                           2010 Portfolio.........................6,997
                           2015 Portfolio.........................7,142
                           2020 Portfolio........................24,260
                           2025 Portfolio.........................1,524

Item 27. Indemnification.

As stated in Article VII, Section 3 of the Declaration of Trust, incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Registration Statement, "The Trustees
shall be entitled and empowered to the fullest extent permitted by law to
purchase insurance for and to provide by resolution or in the Bylaws for
indemnification out of Trust assets for liability and for all expenses
reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be paid by a Trustee or officer in
connection with any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in which he or she
becomes involved by virtue of his or her capacity or former capacity with the
Trust. The provisions, including any exceptions and limitations concerning
indemnification, may be set forth in detail in the Bylaws or in a resolution
adopted by the Board of Trustees."

Registrant hereby incorporates by reference, as though set forth fully herein,
Article VI of the Registrant's Bylaws, amended on May 17, 1995, appearing as
Exhibit 2(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 filed on November 29, 1995
(Accession # 757928-95-000005).

Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor.

The Registrant's investment advisor, Benham Management Corporation, provides
investment advisory services for various collective investment vehicles and
institutional clients and serves as investment advisor to a number of open-end
investment companies.

Item 29. Principal Underwriters.

The Registrant's distribution agent, Twentieth Century Securities, Inc., is
distribution agent to Capital Preservation Fund, Inc., Capital Preservation Fund
II, Inc., Benham California Tax-Free and Municipal Funds, Benham Government
Income Trust, Benham Municipal Trust, Benham Target Maturities Trust, Benham
Equity Funds, Benham International Funds, Benham Investment Trust, Benham
Manager Funds, TCI Portfolios, Inc., Twentieth Century Capital Portfolios, Inc.,
Twentieth Century Investors, Inc., Twentieth Century Premium Reserves, Inc.,
Twentieth Century Strategic Allocations, Inc. and Twentieth Century World
Investors, Inc. The information required with respect to each director, officer
or partner of Twentieth Century Securities is incorporated herein by reference
to Twentieth Century Securities' Form B-D filed on November 21, 1985 (SEC File
No. 8-35220; Firm CRD No. 17437).

Item 30. Location of Accounts and Records.

Benham Management Corporation, the Registrant's investment advisor, maintains
its principal office at 1665 Charleston Road, Mountain View, CA 94043. The
Registrant and its agent for transfer and administrative services, Twentieth
Century Services, maintain their principal office at 4500 Main St., Kansas City,
MO 64111. Twentieth Century Services maintains physical possession of each
account, book, or other document, and shareholder records as required by
ss.31(a) of the 1940 Act and rules thereunder. The computer and data base for
shareholder records are located at Central Computer Facility, 401 North Broad
Street, Sixth Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19108.

Item 31. Management Services.

Not applicable.

Item 32. Undertakings.

Registrant undertakes to furnish each person to whom a Prospectus is delivered
with a copy of the Registrant's latest report to shareholders, upon request and
without charge.






                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26/Amendment No. 28 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Mountain View, and State of
California, on the 24th day of December, 1996. I hereby certify that this
Amendment meets the requirements for immediate effectiveness pursuant to Rule
485(b).

                              BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST


                              By: /s/ Douglas A. Paul
                                  Douglas A. Paul
                                  Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26/Amendment No. 28 has been signed below by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
                                                                            Date
<S>                                  <C>                                    <C>
*                                    Chairman of the Board of Trustees,     December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------    President, and
James M. Benham                      Chief Executive Officer

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Albert A. Eisenstat

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Ronald J. Gilson

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Myron S. Scholes

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Kenneth E. Scott

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Ezra Solomon

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Isaac Stein

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
James E. Stowers III

*                                    Trustee                                December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Jeanne D. Wohlers

*                                    Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer     December 24, 1996
- ---------------------------------
Maryanne Roepke

</TABLE>

/s/ Douglas A. Paul
*by Douglas A. Paul, Attorney in Fact (pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated 
March 4, 1996).



EXHIBIT     DESCRIPTION

EX-99.B1    Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 31, 1995, is
            incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(b) of Post-Effective
            Amendment No. 24 filed on November 29, 1995 (Accession #
            757928-95-000005).

EX-99.B2    Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated May 17, 1995, are incorporated 
            herein by reference to Exhibit 2(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
            24 filed on November 29, 1995 (Accession # 757928-95-000005).

EX-99.B5    Investment Advisory Agreement between Benham Target Maturities 
            Trust: 2000 Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities Trust: 
            2005 Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2010 Portfolio,
            Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2015 Portfolio, Benham Target 
            Maturities Trust: 2020 Portfolio, Benham Target Maturities Trust: 
            2025 Portfolio, and any additional series and Benham Management
            Corporation, dated June 1, 1995, is incorporated herein by reference
            to Exhibit 5(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 filed on November
            29, 1995 (Accession # 757928-95-000005).

EX-99.B6    Distribution Agreement between Benham Target Maturities Trust and
            Twentieth Century Securities, Inc. dated as of September 3, 1996, is
            incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 6 of Post-Effective
            Amendment No. 29 to the Registration Statement of the Benham
            Government Income Trust filed on August 30, 1996 (Accession #
            773674-96-000007).

EX-99.B8    1993 Omnibus Custodian Agreement between the Benham Group of Funds
            (including Benham Target Maturities Trust) and State Street Bank and
            Trust Company, dated August 10, 1993, is incorporated herein by
            reference to Exhibit 8 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22.

EX-99.B9    Administrative Services and Transfer Agency Agreement between Benham
            Target Maturities Trust and Twentieth Century Services, Inc. dated
            as of September 3, 1996,. is incorporated herein by reference to
            Exhibit 9 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registration
            Statement of the Benham Government Income Trust filed on August 30,
            1996 (Accession # 773674-96-000007).

EX-99.B10   Opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the securities
            being registered, dated November 14, 1996 is incorporated herein by
            reference to the Rule 24f-2 Notice filed on November 14, 1996
            (Accession # 757928-96-000008).

EX-99.B11   Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP, independent auditors, is included
            herein.

EX-99.B14   a) Benham Individual Retirement Account Plan, including all
               instructions and other relevant documents, dated February
               1992, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14(a) to
               Post-Effective Amendment No. 20.

            b) Benham Pension/Profit Sharing plan, including all instructions 
               and other relevant documents, dated February 1992, is 
               incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14(b) to Post-Effective 
               Amendment No. 20.

EX-99.B16   Schedule for computation of each performance quotation provided in
            response to Item 22 is included herein.

EX-99.B17   Power of Attorney dated March 4, 1996 is included herein.

EX-27.5.1   FDS - 2000 Portfolio
     
EX-27.5.2   FDS - 2005 Portfolio

EX-27.5.3   FDS - 2010 Portfolio

EX-27.5.4   FDS - 2015 Portfolio

EX-27.5.5   FDS - 2020 Portfolio

EX-27.5.6   FDS - 2025 Portfolio



                         Consent of Independent Auditors




The Board of Trustees and Shareholders
American Century Target Maturities Trust:

     We consent to the inclusion in American Century Target  Maturities  Trust's
Post-Effective  Amendment No. 26 to the  Registration  Statement No.  2-94608 on
Form  N-1A  under  the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  Amendment  No.  28 to the
Registration  Statement  No.  811-4165  filed on Form N-1A under the  Investment
Company  Act of 1940 of our  reports  dated  November  1, 1996 on the  financial
statements  and  financial  highlights  of the  American  Century-Benham  Target
Maturities Trust: 2000, American  Century-Benham  Target Maturities Trust: 2005,
American  Century-Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2010, American  Century-Benham
Target Maturities Trust: 2015, American  Century-Benham Target Maturities Trust:
2020, and American  Century-Benham Target Maturities Trust: 2025 for the periods
indicated  therein,  which reports have been  incorporated by reference into the
Statement of Additional Information of American Century Target Maturities Trust.
We also  consent  to the  reference  to our firm  under the  heading  "Financial
Highlights"  in the  Prospectus  and under the heading  "About the Trust" in the
Statement of Additional  Information which is incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus.


/s/KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

Kansas City, Missouri
December 27, 1996



              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2000
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996

                               
                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]



A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
    entitled to receive dividends.

D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =           $1,466,750.46

         B =             $109,355.31

         C =           3,356,125.288

         D =                  $79.95

         Yield =               6.15%


<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2005
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996


                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]



A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
    entitled to receive dividends.
 
D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =           $1,372,811.49

         B =              $99,293.93

         C =           4,116,763.218

         D =                  $57.83

         Yield =               6.51%


<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2010
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996


                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]


A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
    entitled to receive dividends.

D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =            $661,295.69

         B =             $49,193.72

         C =          2,611,498.972

         D =                 $42.47

         Yield =               6.71%


<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2015
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996



                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]


A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
    entitled to receive dividends.

D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =             $699,727.54

         B =              $51,608.87

         C =           3,628,873.563

         D =                  $31.96

         Yield =               6.80%



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2020
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996



                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]


A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
    entitled to receive dividends.

D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =           $5,624,417.55

         B =             $385,827.84

         C =          41,754,828.165

         D =                  $22.00

         Yield =               6.94%



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2025
                                YIELD CALCULATION
                               September 30, 1996



                               [ (  A-B       ) 6     ]
           Formula: Yield  =  2[ (-------  + 1)   - 1 ]
                               [ (  C*D       )       ]


A = Investment income earned during the period.

B = Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements).

C = The average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
entitled to receive dividends.

D = The per share price on the last day of the period.


Calculation:

         A =             $204,832.85

         B =              $17,292.57

         C =           1,965,224.243

         D =                  $17.91

         Yield =               6.48%



<PAGE>
              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2000
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996


                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year                 $1,000.00      $1,040.20     1.000000      4.02%

    Five Years               $1,000.00      $1,517.90     5.000000      8.71%

    Ten Years                $1,000.00      $2,443.50    10.000000      9.35%

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00      $4,097.90    11.518138     13.03%


*Date Of Inception:  March 25, 1985



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2005
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996


                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year                 $1,000.00      $1,021.60     1.000000      2.16%

    Five Years               $1,000.00      $1,646.20     5.000000     10.48%

    Ten Years                $1,000.00      $2,674.80    10.000000     10.34%

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00      $4,867.80    11.518138     14.73%


*Date Of Inception:  March 25, 1985



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2010
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996


                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year                 $1,000.00      $1,007.80     1.000000     0.78%

    Five Years               $1,000.00      $1,693.40     5.000000    11.11%

    Ten Years                $1,000.00      $2,681.20    10.000000    10.37%

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00      $5,417.10    11.518138    15.80%


*Date Of Inception:  March 25, 1985



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2015
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996



                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year                 $1,000.00      $  992.50     1.000000     -0.75%

    Five Years               $1,000.00      $1,733.20     5.000000     11.63%

    Ten Years                $1,000.00      $2,450.90    10.000000      9.38% 

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00      $2,540.50    10.080767      9.70%


*Date Of Inception:  September 1, 1986



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2020
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996


                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year                 $1,000.00      $  979.10     1.000000     -2.09%

    Five Years               $1,000.00      $1,754.40     5.000000     11.90%

    Ten Years

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00      $1,833.30     6.754278      9.39%


*Date Of Inception:  December 29, 1989



<PAGE>


              AMERICAN CENTURY-BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST: 2025
                           AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
                               September 30, 1996



                                    ( ERV ) 1/N
                      Formula:  T = (-----)     -  1
                                    (  P  )



P       =  A hypothetical initial payment of $1,000.

ERV     =  Ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
           beginning of the period.

N       =  Number of years.

T       =  Average annual total return.


                                 P             ERV           N          T
Calculation:                 ---------      ---------     --------    -------

    One Year

    Five Years

    Ten Years

    Date Of Inception*       $1,000.00       $902.30      0.624230    -15.18%


*Date Of Inception:  February 15, 1996





                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that  the  undersigned,  BENHAM  TARGET
MATURITIES  TRUST,  hereinafter  called the  "Trust" and  certain  trustees  and
officers of the Trust, do hereby  constitute and appoint James M. Benham,  James
E. Stowers,  III,  William M. Lyons,  Douglas A. Paul, and Patrick A. Looby, and
each of them  individually,  their true and lawful  attorneys and agents to take
any and all action and execute any and all instruments  which said attorneys and
agents may deem  necessary  or  advisable to enable the Trust to comply with the
Securities  Act of 1933 and/or the  Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended,
and any rules  regulations,  orders, or other  requirements of the United States
Securities  and  Exchange   Commission   thereunder,   in  connection  with  the
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the Investment Company Act
of 1940,  as amended,  including  specifically,  but without  limitation  of the
foregoing,  power and  authority to sign the name of the Trust in its behalf and
to affix its seal,  and to sign the names of each of such  trustees and officers
in  their  capacities  as  indicated,  to any  amendment  or  supplement  to the
Registration  Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission under
the  Securities  Act of 1933  and/or  the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940,  as
amended,  and to any  instruments or documents filed or to be filed as a part of
or in connection with such Registration  Statement;  and each of the undersigned
hereby  ratifies  and confirms  all that said  attorneys  and agents shall do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Trust has caused this Power to be executed by its
duly authorized officers on this the 4th day of March, 1996

                         BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
                        (A Massachusetts Business Trust)


                        By: /s/James M. Benham, President
                           James M. Benham, President

SIGNATURE AND TITLE

/s/James M. Benham                                /s/Ezra Solomon
James M. Benham                                   Ezra Solomon
Chairman                                          Trustee

/s/Albert A. Eisenstat                            /s/Isaac Stein
Albert A. Eisenstat                               Isaac Stein
Trustee                                           Trustee

/s/Ronald J. Gilson                               /s/Jeanne D. Wohlers
Ronald J. Gilson                                  Jeanne D. Wohlers
Trustee                                           Trustee

/s/Myron S. Scholes                               /s/James E. Stowers, III
Myron S. Scholes                                  James E. Stowers, III
Trustee                                           Trustee

/s/Kenneth E. Scott                               /s/Maryanne Roepke
Kenneth E. Scott                                  Maryanne Roepke
Trustee                                           Treasurer

Attest:

By:        /s/Douglas A. Paul
           Douglas A. Paul, Secretary


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 1
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST - 2000
       
<S>                      <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                        SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                             262,433,118
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                            267,868,915
<RECEIVABLES>                                               0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                        276,873
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                        0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    268,145,788
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                    0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                             389,200
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                   389,200
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                             0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                          253,946,244
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                               3,349,052
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                               3,834,562
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                          12,967,238
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                      0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                            (4,592,691)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                    0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                            5,435,797
<NET-ASSETS>                                      267,756,588
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                           0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                  18,747,463
<OTHER-INCOME>                                              0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                      1,512,558
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            17,234,905
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                            1,066,551
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                          (6,811,361)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                              11,490,095
<EQUALIZATION>                                              0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                          14,295,441
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                    0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                             1,519,287
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                         1,999,924
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                   183,642
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                            (26,979,392)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                     0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                   0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                     0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                  0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                 815,109
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                          0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                     1,534,353
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                              286,612,002
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                   76.86
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                          5.16
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                 (2.07)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                     3.94
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                     0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                     79.95
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                          0.53
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                      0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                     0.00
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST - 2005
       
<S>                      <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                    MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                         SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                              231,440,990
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                             238,552,314
<RECEIVABLES>                                                0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                         754,765
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                         0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     239,307,079
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                     0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                      0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                              443,151
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                    443,151
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                              0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                           219,630,148
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                4,130,406
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                3,240,460
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                           10,806,954
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                       0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              1,315,502
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                     0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                             7,111,324
<NET-ASSETS>                                       238,863,928
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                            0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                   15,071,147
<OTHER-INCOME>                                               0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                       1,302,016
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                             13,769,131
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                             1,459,753
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                          (12,781,340)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                2,447,544
<EQUALIZATION>                                               0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            8,101,012
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             2,276,770
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                        0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                              2,554,065
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                          1,660,146
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                    177,478
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                              55,411,853
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                      0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                    0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                      0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                   0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                  655,073
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                      1,305,175
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                               226,788,584
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                    56.61
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                           3.83
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                  (2.61)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                      2.06
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                 0.58
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                      0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                      57.83
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                           0.58
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                       0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                      0.00
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATUITIES TRUST - 2010
       
<S>                      <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                     MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                          SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                               108,827,864
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                              111,031,380
<RECEIVABLES>                                                 0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                          293,307
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                          0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      111,324,687
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                      0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                               207,496
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                     207,496
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                               0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                            101,134,272
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                 2,616,128
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                 2,255,560
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                             5,195,418
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                        0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                               2,583,986
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                      0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                              2,203,515
<NET-ASSETS>                                        111,117,191
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                             0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                     7,461,154
<OTHER-INCOME>                                                0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                          740,166
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                               6,720,988
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                              3,276,781
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                           (10,369,618)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                  (371,849)
<EQUALIZATION>                                                0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                             4,075,907
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                      0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                         0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                               1,630,076
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                           1,267,143
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                      89,942
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                               16,060,573
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                       0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                     0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                       0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                    0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                   322,085
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                            0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                         704,289
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                111,856,527
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                     42.14
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                            2.86
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                   (2.53)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                       1.57
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                  0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                       0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                       42.47
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                            0.67
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                        0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                       0.00
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST - 2015
       
<S>                      <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                           6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                            SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                  95,273,133
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                115,287,808
<RECEIVABLES>                                                   0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                            602,290
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                            0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                        115,890,098
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<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST - 2020
       
<S>                      <C>
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000757928
<NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 6
   <NAME> BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST - 2025
       
<S>                      <C>
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<PERIOD-END>                      SEP-30-1996
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                  0
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</TABLE>


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