AMERICAN CENTURY GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
497, 1997-01-16
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                     STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

                             [american century logo]
                                    American
                                  Century(sm)

                                SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
                             Revised January 1, 1997


                                     BENHAM
                                    GROUP(R)

                                Government Agency
                               Short-Term Treasury
                           Intermediate-Term Treasury
                               Long-Term Treasury
                                    ARM Fund
                                    GNMA Fund

                                 [front cover]



                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                                SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
                             REVISED JANUARY 1, 1997


                    AMERICAN CENTURY GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST


This Statement is not a prospectus  but should be read in  conjunction  with the
Funds' current  Prospectus  dated  September 3, 1996,  revised  January 1, 1997.
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.............................8
Portfolio Transactions.............................13
Valuation of Portfolio Securities..................14
Performance........................................15
Taxes..............................................16
About the Trust....................................17
Trustees and Officers..............................18
Investment Advisory Services.......................19
Transfer and Administrative Services...............21
Distribution of Fund Shares........................22
Direct Fund Expenses...............................22
Expense Limitation Agreement.......................22
Additional Purchase and Redemption
   Information.....................................22
Other Information..................................23


NOTE: Throughout this document, Short-Term Treasury, Intermediate-Term Treasury,
Long-Term Treasury,  ARM Fund, and GNMA Fund are referred to collectively as the
"Variable-Price Funds."


Statement of Additional Information                                            1


INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES

The following  pages 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.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS (ARM FUND AND GNMA FUND)

The Funds may engage in repurchase  agreements  collateralized  by U.S. Treasury
bills,  notes, and bonds, or by  mortgage-backed  GNMA  certificates,  which are
guaranteed by the Government  National  Mortgage  Association  and backed by the
full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Repos  may  involve  risks  not  associated  with  direct  investments  in  U.S.
government  debt  securities.  If the seller  fails to complete the terms of the
agreement,  the Fund may experience delays in recovering its cash or incur costs
in the disposal of  securities it has purchased  under the  agreement.  The Fund
could also suffer a loss if the  securities  decline in value before they can be
sold in the open market.

In a repurchase  agreement (a "repo"), the Fund buys a security at one price and
simultaneously agrees to sell it back to the seller at an agreed upon price on a
specified  date  (usually  within  seven days from the date of  purchase)  or on
demand.  The  repurchase  price  exceeds  the  purchase  price by an amount that
reflects an agreed  upon rate of return and that is  unrelated  to the  interest
rate on the underlying security. Delay or losses could result if the other party
to the agreement defaults or becomes bankrupt.

The advisor attempts to minimize the risks associated with repurchase agreements
by adhering to the following criteria:

(1)  Limiting  the  securities  acquired  and  held by a Fund  under  repurchase
     agreements to U.S. government securities;

(2)  Entering  into  repurchase  agreements  only with  primary  dealers in U.S.
     government  securities  (including bank  affiliates)  that are deemed to be
     creditworthy  under  guidelines  established  by  a  nationally  recognized
     statistical  rating  organization  (a "rating  agency") and approved by the
     Funds' Board of Trustees;

(3)  Monitoring  the  creditworthiness  of  all  firms  involved  in  repurchase
     agreement transactions;

(4)  Requiring the seller to establish and maintain  collateral equal to 102% of
     the agreed upon resale price,  provided  however that the Board of Trustees
     may determine that a broker-dealer's credit standing is sufficient to allow
     collateral to fall to as low as 101% of the agreed upon resale price before
     the broker-dealer deposits additional securities with the Funds' custodian;

(5)  Investing  no  more  than  10%  of a  Fund's  total  assets  in  repurchase
     agreements  of more than seven  days'  duration  (although  the  underlying
     securities usually will have longer maturities);

(6)  Taking delivery of securities subject to repurchase  agreements and holding
     them in a segregated account at the Funds' custodian bank.

The  Funds  have  received  permission  from the SEC to  participate  in  pooled
repurchase  agreements  collateralized by U.S. government  securities with other
mutual funds advised by its investment  advisor,  Benham Management  Corporation
(the  "Manager").  Pooled  repos are  expected to increase the income a Fund can
earn from repo transactions  without  increasing the risks associated with these
transactions.

Under the Investment  Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), repos are considered
to be loans.

WHEN-ISSUED PURCHASES AND FORWARD COMMITMENTS (ALL FUNDS)

The Funds may engage in  securities  transactions  on a  when-issued  or forward
commitment basis, in which the transaction price and yield are each fixed at the
time the  commitment  is made,  but payment and delivery  occur at a future date
(typically 15 to 45 days later).

When purchasing  securities on a when-issued or forward  commitment  basis, each
Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership,  including the risk of price and
yield  fluctuations.  Although a Fund will make  commitments to purchase or sell
securities with the intention of actually  receiving or delivering  them, it may
sell the securities  before the settlement date if doing so is deemed  advisable
as a matter of investment strategy.

In purchasing  securities on a when-issued or forward  commitment  basis, a Fund
will establish and

2                                                   American Century Investments


maintain until the settlement date a segregated account consisting of cash, U.S.
government securities, or other high-quality liquid debt securities in an amount
sufficient  to meet the  purchase  price.  When  the time  comes to pay for such
securities,  the Fund will meet its obligations with available cash, through the
sale of  securities,  or,  although  it would not  normally  expect to do so, by
selling the  when-issued  securities  themselves  (which may have a market value
greater or less than the Fund's payment obligation).  Selling securities to meet
when-issued or forward commitment obligations may generate taxable capital gains
or losses.

ROLL TRANSACTIONS

A Fund may sell a security  and at the same time make a  commitment  to purchase
the  same or a  comparable  security  at a  future  date  and  specified  price.
Conversely,  a  Fund  may  purchase  a  security  and at the  same  time  make a
commitment  to sell  the same or a  comparable  security  at a  future  date and
specified price. These types of transactions are executed simultaneously in what
are known as "dollar-rolls",  "cash-and-carry",  or financing transactions.  For
example, a broker-dealer may seek to purchase a particular  security that a Fund
owns. The Fund will sell that security to the broker-dealer  and  simultaneously
enter into a forward commitment  agreement to buy it back at a future date. This
type of  transaction  generates  income for the Fund if the dealer is willing to
execute  the  transaction  at a  favorable  price in order to acquire a specific
security.  As  an  operating  policy,  the  Manager  limits  forward  commitment
transactions  (including roll  transactions) to 35% of a Fund's total assets and
will  not  enter  into  when-issued  or  forward  commitment  transactions  with
settlement dates that exceed 120 days.

In engaging in roll  transactions,  the Fund will maintain  until the settlement
date a segregated account consisting of cash, cash equivalents,  or high-quality
liquid  securities  in an  amount  sufficient  to meet the  purchase  price,  as
described above.

INTEREST RATE RESETS ON FLOATING-RATE U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY SECURITIES

Interest  rate  resets  on  floating-rate  U.S.   government  agency  securities
generally  occur at  intervals  of one year or less in  response to changes in a
predetermined  interest  rate index.  There are two main  categories of indexes,
those based on U.S.  Treasury  securities  and those  derived  from a calculated
measure,  such as a cost of funds  index.  Commonly  used  indexes  include  the
three-month,  six-month,  and one-year Treasury bill rate; the two-year Treasury
note yield;  the  Eleventh  District  Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds Index
(EDCOFI);  and the London  Interbank  Offered Rate (LIBOR).  Fluctuations in the
prices  of  floating-rate  U.S.   government  agency  securities  are  typically
attributed  to  differences  between the coupon  rates on these  securities  and
prevailing market interest rates between interest rate reset dates.

MASTER DEMAND NOTES (GOVERNMENT AGENCY ONLY)

Government Agency may acquire  variable-rate  master demand notes issued by U.S.
government  agencies  such as the Student  Loan  Marketing  Association.  Master
demand  notes allow the Fund to lend money at varying  rates of  interest  under
direct agreements with borrowers. The Fund may adjust the amount of money loaned
under a master  demand note daily or weekly up to the full amount  specified  in
the  agreement,  and the  borrower  may prepay up to the full amount of the loan
without penalty. Master demand notes may or may not be backed by bank letters of
credit.  Although, as direct agreements between lenders and borrowers,  there is
no secondary  market for master demand notes,  these  instruments are redeemable
(immediately  repayable by the  borrower)  at par plus  accrued  interest at any
time.

SECURITIES LENDING (ALL FUNDS EXCEPT INTERMEDIATE-TERM TREASURY)

The Manager may seek approval from the Board of Trustees to engage in securities
lending on behalf of the Funds.  Such loans would be made with the  intention of
allowing  the Funds to earn  additional  income.  If a borrower  defaulted  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, the Manager adheres to the following guidelines  prescribed by
the Board of Trustees:

(1)  TYPE AND AMOUNT OF  COLLATERAL.  At the time a loan is made,  the Fund must
     receive, from or on

Statement of Additional Information                                            3


     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  Funds'   custodian  with  other  cash  and  marketable
     securities,   provided  that  the  loan  agreement  expressly  allows  such
     commingling.

(2)  ADDITIONS TO COLLATERAL. Collateral must be marked to market daily, and the
     borrower must agree to add  collateral to the extent  necessary to maintain
     the 102% level specified in guideline (1) above.  The borrower must deposit
     additional collateral no later than the business day following the business
     day on which a collateral  deficiency  occurs or  collateral  appears to be
     inadequate.

(3)  TERMINATION  OF LOAN.  The Fund must have the option 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 typically two trading days.

(4)  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.

(5)  LIMITATIONS  ON  PERCENTAGE  OF FUND ASSETS ON LOAN. A Fund's loans may not
     exceed 331/3% of its total assets.

(6)  CREDIT ANALYSIS.  As part of the regular monitoring procedures set forth by
     the Board of  Trustees  that the  Manager  follows  to  evaluate  banks and
     broker-dealers in connection with, for example,  repurchase  agreements and
     municipal  securities  credit issues,  the Manager will analyze and monitor
     the   creditworthiness  of  all  borrowers  with  which  portfolio  lending
     arrangements are contemplated or entered into.

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (ARM FUND AND GNMA FUND)

Background.  A mortgage-backed  security  represents an ownership  interest in a
pool of mortgage loans. The loans are made by financial  institutions to finance
home and other real estate purchases. As the loans are repaid, investors receive
payments of both interest and principal.

Like  fixed-income  securities  such as  U.S.  Treasury  bonds,  mortgage-backed
securities pay a stated rate of interest over the life of the security. However,
unlike  a bond,  which  returns  principal  to the  investor  in one lump sum at
maturity,  mortgage-backed  securities  return  principal  to  the  investor  in
increments over the life of the security.

Because  the timing and speed of  principal  repayments  vary,  the cash flow on
mortgage  securities  is  irregular.  If  mortgage  holders  sell  their  homes,
refinance their loans,  prepay their  mortgages,  or default on their loans, the
principal is distributed pro rata to investors.

As with  other  fixed-income  securities,  the  prices  of  mortgage  securities
fluctuate in response to changing  interest rates; when interest rates fall, the
prices of mortgage securities rise, and vice versa. Changing interest rates have
additional  significance  for  mortgage-backed  securities  investors,  however,
because they influence  prepayment  rates (the rates at which  mortgage  holders
prepay  their  mortgages),  which in turn  affect the yields on  mortgage-backed
securities.  When interest rates decline,  prepayment rates generally  increase.
Mortgage  holders take advantage of the opportunity to refinance their mortgages
at lower rates with lower monthly payments.  When interest rates rise,  mortgage
holders are less inclined to refinance their mortgages. The effect of prepayment
activity on yield depends on whether the mortgage-backed  security was purchased
at a premium or at a discount.

A Fund may get back  principal  sooner than it expected  because of  accelerated
prepayments. Under these circumstances, the Fund might have to reinvest returned
principal  at rates lower than it would have earned if principal  payments  were
made  on  schedule.  Conversely,  a  mortgage-backed  security  may  exceed  its
anticipated  life if  prepayment  rates  decelerate  unexpectedly.  Under  these
circumstances, a Fund

4                                                   American Century Investments


might miss an opportunity to earn interest at higher prevailing rates.

GINNIE MAE CERTIFICATES.  The Government National Mortgage  Association (GNMA or
Ginnie Mae) is a wholly owned  corporate  instrumentality  of the United  States
within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The National Housing Act
of 1934 (Housing Act), as amended, authorizes Ginnie Mae to guarantee the timely
payment of interest and repayment of principal on  certificates  that are backed
by a pool of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing  Administration under
the  Housing  Act,  or by Title V of the  Housing  Act of 1949 (FHA  Loans),  or
guaranteed by the Veterans'  Administration under the Servicemen's  Readjustment
Act of 1944 (VA  Loans),  as  amended,  or by pools of other  eligible  mortgage
loans.  The  Housing  Act  provides  that the full  faith and credit of the U.S.
government  is pledged to the payment of all amounts  that may be required to be
paid under any guarantee.  Ginnie Mae has unlimited authority to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury in order to meet its obligations under this guarantee.

Ginnie Mae  certificates  represent a pro rata  interest in one or more pools of
the following types of mortgage  loans:  (a) fixed-rate  level payment  mortgage
loans; (b) fixed-rate  graduated  payment mortgage loans (GPMs);  (c) fixed-rate
growing equity mortgage loans (GEMs);  (d) fixed-rate  mortgage loans secured by
manufactured (mobile) homes (MHs); (e) mortgage loans on multifamily residential
properties  under   construction   (CLCs);   (f)  mortgage  loans  on  completed
multifamily  projects  (PLCs);  (g) fixed-rate  mortgage loans that use escrowed
funds to reduce the borrower's  monthly  payments  during the early years of the
mortgage loans (buydown mortgage loans); and (h) mortgage loans that provide for
payment  adjustments  based on periodic  changes in  interest  rates or in other
payment terms of the mortgage loans.

FANNIE MAE  CERTIFICATES.  The Federal National  Mortgage  Association  (FNMA or
Fannie Mae) is a federally chartered and privately owned corporation established
under the Federal  National  Mortgage  Association  Charter Act.  Fannie Mae was
originally  established in 1938 as a U.S.  government agency designed to provide
supplemental  liquidity  to  the  mortgage  market  and  was  reorganized  as  a
stockholder-owned  and privately managed  corporation by legislation  enacted in
1968. Fannie Mae acquires capital from investors who would not ordinarily invest
in  mortgage  loans  directly  and  thereby  expands  the total  amount of funds
available for housing.  This money is used to buy home mortgage loans from local
lenders, replenishing the supply of capital available for mortgage lending.

Fannie Mae  certificates  represent a pro rata  interest in one or more pools of
FHA Loans,  VA Loans,  or, most  commonly,  conventional  mortgage  loans (i.e.,
mortgage loans that are not insured or guaranteed by a  governmental  agency) of
the following types: (a) fixed-rate level payment mortgage loans; (b) fixed-rate
growing equity mortgage loans; (c) fixed-rate  graduated payment mortgage loans;
(d) adjustable-rate mortgage loans; and (e) fixed-rate mortgage loans secured by
multifamily projects.

Fannie  Mae  certificates  entitle  the  registered  holder to  receive  amounts
representing  a pro rata interest in scheduled  principal and interest  payments
(at the  certificate's  pass-through  rate,  which is net of any  servicing  and
guarantee fees on the underlying mortgage loans), any principal prepayments, and
a  proportionate  interest in the full  principal  amount of any  foreclosed  or
otherwise  liquidated mortgage loan. The full and timely payment of interest and
repayment of principal on each Fannie Mae  certificate  is  guaranteed by Fannie
Mae;  this  guarantee  is not  backed by the full  faith and  credit of the U.S.
government.

FREDDIE MAC CERTIFICATES.  The Federal Home Loan Mortgage  Corporation (FHLMC or
Freddie  Mac)  is a  corporate  instrumentality  of the  United  States  created
pursuant to the  Emergency  Home  Finance Act of 1970 (FHLMC  Act),  as amended.
Freddie  Mac  was  established  primarily  for the  purpose  of  increasing  the
availability of mortgage credit.  Its principal  activity consists of purchasing
first-lien conventional  residential mortgage loans (and participation interests
in such mortgage loans) and reselling these loans in the form of mortgage-backed
securities, primarily Freddie Mac certificates.

Freddie Mac  certificates  represent a pro rata  interest in a group of mortgage
loans (a Freddie Mac certificate  group)  purchased by Freddie Mac. The mortgage
loans underlying Freddie Mac certificates

Statement of Additional Information                                            5


consist  of fixed- or  adjustable-rate  mortgage  loans with  original  terms to
maturity of between ten and thirty years, substantially all of which are secured
by  first-liens  on one- to  four-family  residential  properties or multifamily
projects.  Each mortgage loan must meet  standards set forth in the FHLMC Act. A
Freddie Mac certificate group may include whole loans,  participation  interests
in whole loans, undivided interests in whole loans, and participations composing
another Freddie Mac certificate group.

Freddie Mac guarantees to each  registered  holder of a Freddie Mac  certificate
the timely  payment of interest  at the rate  provided  for by the  certificate.
Freddie Mac also guarantees  ultimate collection of all principal on the related
mortgage  loans,  without  any  offset  or  deduction,  but  generally  does not
guarantee the timely repayment of principal.  Freddie Mac may remit principal at
any time after default on an underlying mortgage loan, but no later than 30 days
following (a) foreclosure  sale, (b) payment of a claim by any mortgage insurer,
or (c) the expiration of any right of redemption, whichever occurs later, and in
any event no later than one year after  demand has been made upon the  mortgager
for accelerated payment of principal.  Obligations guaranteed by Freddie Mac are
not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (CMOS). A CMO is a multiclass bond backed by
a pool of mortgage  pass-through  certificates or mortgage  loans.  CMO's may be
collateralized  by (a) Ginnie  Mae,  Fannie  Mae,  or Freddie  Mac  pass-through
certificates,  (b)  unsecuritized  mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing
Administration  or  guaranteed  by the  Department  of  Veterans'  Affairs,  (c)
unsecuritized conventional mortgages, or (d) any combination thereof.

In  structuring  a CMO,  an issuer  distributes  cash  flow from the  underlying
collateral over a series of classes called  "tranches." Each CMO is a set of two
or more  tranches,  with average lives and cash flow  patterns  designed to meet
specific investment  objectives.  The average life expectancies of the different
tranches in a four-part deal, for example, might be two, five, seven, and twenty
years.

As payments on the underlying mortgage loans are collected,  the CMO issuer pays
the coupon rate of interest to the  bondholders in each tranche.  At the outset,
scheduled  and  unscheduled  principal  payments  go to  investors  in the first
tranches.  Investors in later tranches do not begin receiving principal payments
until the prior  tranches  are paid off.  This  basic  type of CMO is known as a
"sequential pay" or "plain vanilla" CMO.

Some CMOs are structured so that the prepayment or market risks are  transferred
from one tranche to another.  Prepayment  stability is improved in some tranches
if other tranches absorb more prepayment variability.

The final  tranche of a CMO often  takes the form of a Z-bond,  also known as an
"accrual bond" or "accretion bond." Holders of these securities  receive no cash
until the earlier  tranches  are paid in full.  During the period that the other
tranches are outstanding,  periodic  interest  payments are added to the initial
face amount of the Z-bond but are not paid to investors. When the prior tranches
are retired, the Z-bond receives coupon payments on its higher principal balance
plus any principal prepayments from the underlying mortgage loans. The existence
of a Z-bond tranche helps stabilize cash flow patterns in the other tranches. In
a changing interest rate environment,  however, the value of the Z-bond tends to
be more volatile.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more prevalent.  The
planned  amortization  class (PAC) and targeted  amortization  class (TAC),  for
example,  were designed to reduce prepayment risk by establishing a sinking-fund
structure.  PAC and TAC bonds  assure to varying  degrees  that  investors  will
receive payments over a predetermined period under various prepayment scenarios.
Although  PAC and TAC bonds are  similar,  PAC bonds are better  able to provide
stable cash flows under various  prepayment  scenarios than TAC bonds because of
the order in which these tranches are paid.

The existence of a PAC or TAC tranche can create higher levels of risk for other
tranches in the CMO because the  stability of the PAC or TAC tranche is achieved
by creating at least one other  tranche-known as a companion bond,  support,  or
non-PAC  bond--that  absorbs the  variability of principal  cash flows.  Because
companion bonds have a high degree of average life  variability,  they generally
pay a higher

6                                                   American Century Investments


yield.  A TAC bond can have some of the  prepayment  variability  of a companion
bond if there is also a PAC bond in the CMO issue.

Floating-rate  CMO tranches  (floaters)  pay a variable rate of interest that is
usually  tied  to the  London  Interbank  Offered  Rate  (LIBOR).  Institutional
investors with  short-term  liabilities,  such as commercial  banks,  often find
floating-rate  CMOs  attractive  investments.  "Super  floaters"  (which float a
certain percentage above LIBOR) and "inverse floaters" (which float inversely to
LIBOR) are variations on the floater  structure  that have highly  variable cash
flows.

STRIPPED   MORTGAGE-BACKED   SECURITIES  (ARM  FUND  ONLY).   Stripped  mortgage
securities are created by segregating  the cash flows from  underlying  mortgage
loans or mortgage  securities to create two or more new securities,  each with a
specified  percentage  of  the  underlying   security's  principal  or  interest
payments.  Mortgage  securities may be partially  stripped so that each investor
class receives some interest and some principal.  When securities are completely
stripped,  however, all of the interest is distributed to holders of one type of
security, known as an interest-only security, or IO, and all of the principal is
distributed  to holders of another  type of security  known as a  principal-only
security,  or PO.  Strips  can be  created  in a  pass-through  structure  or as
tranches of a CMO.

The  market  values  of IOs and POs are  very  sensitive  to  interest  rate and
prepayment rate fluctuations.  POs, for example, increase (or decrease) in value
as interest rates decline (or rise). The price behavior of these securities also
depends  on  whether  the  mortgage  collateral  was  purchased  at a premium or
discount to its par value. Prepayments on discount coupon POs generally are much
lower than  prepayments on premium coupon POs. IOs may be used to hedge a Fund's
other investments  because prepayments cause the value of an IO strip to move in
the opposite direction from other mortgage-backed securities.

ADJUSTABLE-RATE MORTGAGE LOANS (ARMS). ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage
pool will  generally  provide for a fixed initial  mortgage  interest rate for a
specified  period of time,  generally for either the first three,  six,  twelve,
thirteen,  thirty-six,  or sixty scheduled  monthly  payments.  Thereafter,  the
interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in an index.

ARMs have minimum and maximum rates beyond which the mortgage  interest rate may
not vary over the  lifetime of the loan.  Certain  ARMs  provide for  additional
limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust
for any  single  adjustment  period.  Negatively  amortizing  ARMs  may  provide
limitations on changes in the required monthly  payment.  Limitations on monthly
payments can result in monthly payments that are greater or less than the amount
necessary  to  amortize  a  negatively  amortizing  ARM by its  maturity  at the
interest rate in effect during any particular month.

There are two types of indexes that provide the basis for ARM rate  adjustments:
those based on market rates and those based on a calculated  measure,  such as a
cost of funds index or a moving  average of mortgage  rates.  Commonly  utilized
indexes include the one-year,  three-year,  and five-year constant maturity U.S.
Treasury  rates (as  reported by the Federal  Reserve  Board);  the  three-month
Treasury  bill  rate;  the  180-day  Treasury  bill rate;  rates on  longer-term
Treasury securities;  the Eleventh District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds
Index  (EDCOFI);  the  National  Median  Cost of  Funds  Index;  the  one-month,
three-month,  six-month,  or one-year London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR);  or
six-month  CD  rates.  Some  indexes,  such as the  one-year  constant  maturity
Treasury rate or three-month LIBOR, are highly correlated with changes in market
interest rates. Other indexes, such as the EDCOFI, tend to lag behind changes in
market rates and be somewhat less volatile over short periods of time.

The EDCOFI  reflects the monthly  weighted  average cost of funds of savings and
loan  associations  and savings banks whose home offices are located in Arizona,
California,  and Nevada (the Federal Home Loan Bank  Eleventh  District) and who
are member institutions of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (the FHLB
of San Francisco),  as computed from  statistics  tabulated and published by the
FHLB of San Francisco.  The FHLB of San Francisco normally announces the Cost of
Funds Index on the last  working day of the month  following  the month in which
the cost of funds was incurred.

Statement of Additional Information                                            7

One-year and three-year Constant Maturity Treasury (CMT) rates are calculated by
the  Federal  Reserve  Bank of New York,  based on daily  closing  bid yields on
actively traded Treasury  securities  submitted by five leading  broker-dealers.
The median bid yields are used to construct a daily yield curve.

The National  Median Cost of Funds Index,  similar to the EDCOFI,  is calculated
monthly by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB) and  represents  the average
monthly  interest  expenses on  liabilities  of member  institutions.  A median,
rather than an arithmetic mean, is used to reduce the effect of extreme numbers.

The London  Interbank  Offered Rate Index  (LIBOR) is the rate at which banks in
London offer Eurodollars in trades between banks. LIBOR has become a key rate in
the U.S.  domestic  money  market  because it is  perceived  to reflect the true
global cost of money.

The Manager may invest in ARMs whose  periodic  interest  rate  adjustments  are
based on new indexes as these indexes become available.

ZERO-COUPON SECURITIES

Zero-coupon  U.S.  Treasury  securities are the unmatured  interest  coupons and
underlying  principal  portions of U.S.  Treasury  notes and bonds.  Originally,
these  securities were created by  broker-dealers  who bought Treasury notes and
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 notes and 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).  In this  program,
eligible  securities  may be presented to the U.S.  Treasury and  exchanged  for
their component  parts,  which are then traded in book-entry  form.  (Book-entry
trading eliminated 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 stripped  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."

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

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

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM GOVERNMENT AGENCY MONEY MARKET FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  Borrow money in excess of 331/3% of the market  value of its total  assets.
     The  Fund  may  borrow  from a  bank  as a  temporary  measure  to  satisfy
     redemption  requests or for extraordinary or emergency  purposes,  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,
     the Fund may pledge or hypothecate  not in excess of 331/3% of the value of
     its total assets.  The Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings
     representing more than 5% of its total assets are outstanding. The Fund may
     also borrow money for  temporary or emergency  purposes from other funds or
     portfolios  for  which  Benham  Management  Corporation  is the  investment
     advisor, or from a joint account of such funds or portfolios,  as permitted
     by federal regulatory agencies.

(2)  Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others.

(3)  Purchase, sell, or invest in real estate, commodities, commodity contracts,
     foreign exchange, or interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
     development programs,  provided that this limitation shall not prohibit the
     purchase of U.S. government securities and other debt securities secured by
     real estate or interests therein.

(4)  Engage in any short-selling operations.

(5)  Make  loans to  others,  except for the  lending  of  portfolio  securities
     pursuant  to  guidelines  established  by the Board of  Trustees or for the

8                                                   American Century Investments


     purchase  of debt  securities  in  accordance  with the  Fund's  investment
     objective and policies.

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

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

(8)  Invest in securities which 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.

(9)  Issue or sell any class of senior  security  as defined  in the  Investment
     Company Act of 1940 except to the extent  that notes  evidencing  temporary
     borrowings   or  the   purchase  of   securities   on  a   when-issued   or
     delayed-delivery basis might be deemed such.

(10) 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.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM SHORT-TERM TREASURY FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  With respect to 75% of its total  assets,  purchase the  securities  of any
     issuer (other than securities  issued or guaranteed by the U.S.  government
     or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (a) more than
     5% of the Fund's 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)  Issue senior  securities,  except as permitted under the Investment Company
     Act of 1940 and  except  to the  extent  that  notes  evidencing  temporary
     borrowings   or  the   purchase  of   securities   on  a   when-issued   or
     delayed-delivery basis might be deemed such.

(3)  Borrow  money,  except for temporary or emergency  purposes,  and then only
     from a bank.  Such  borrowings  may not exceed  331/3% of the Fund's  total
     assets.

(4)  Underwrite  securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund
     may be considered an  underwriter  within the meaning of the Securities Act
     of 1933 in disposing of restricted securities.

(5)  Purchase the  securities  of any issuer  (other than  securities  issued or
     guaranteed   by  the   U.S.   government   or  any  of  its   agencies   or
     instrumentalities)  if, as a  result,  more  than 25% of the  Fund's  total
     assets would be invested in the  securities  of companies  whose  principal
     business activities are in the same industry.

(6)  Purchase or sell real estate  unless  acquired  as result of  ownership  of
     securities or other  instruments,  provided that this  limitation  will not
     prohibit the Fund from purchasing  U.S.  government  securities  secured by
     real estate or interests therein.

(7)  Purchase  or sell  physical  commodities  unless  acquired  as a result  of
     ownership of securities or other instruments, provided that this limitation
     will not prohibit the Fund from  purchasing and selling options and futures
     contracts or from  investing in securities or other  instruments  backed by
     physical commodities.

(8)  Make loans, other than loans of portfolio securities pursuant to guidelines
     established by the Board of Trustees,  provided that this  restriction will
     not prohibit the Fund from  purchasing  debt  securities in accordance with
     its investment  objectives and policies.  Loans, in the aggregate,  will be
     limited to 331/3% of the Fund's total assets.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM INTERMEDIATE-TERM TREASURY FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  Purchase the  securities of any issuer other than the U.S.  Treasury.  This
     restriction  shall not apply to  repurchase  agreements  consisting of U.S.
     government  securities  or to  purchases  by the  Fund of  shares  of other
     investment  companies,  provided  that not more than 3% of such  investment
     company's outstanding shares would be held by the Fund, not more than 5% of
     the value of the Fund's assets would be invested in shares of such company,
     and not more than 10% of the 

Statement of Additional Information                                            9


     value of the  Fund's  assets  would be  invested  in shares  of  investment
     companies in the aggregate.

(2)  Engage in any short-selling operations.

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

(4)  Purchase or sell real estate,  commodities,  or commodity contracts, or buy
     and sell foreign exchange.

(5)  Purchase  securities for which the Fund might be liable for further payment
     or liability.

(6)  Invest in portfolio securities that the Fund may not be free to sell to the
     public without  registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or the taking
     of similar  actions  under other  securities  laws  relating to the sale of
     securities.

(7)  Issue or sell any class of senior security, except to the extent that notes
     evidencing temporary borrowing might be deemed such.

(8)  Lend money other than through the purchase of debt securities in accordance
     with its investment  policy (this  restriction does not apply to repurchase
     agreements).

(9)  Borrow  money  except  from  a  bank  as a  temporary  measure  to  satisfy
     redemption  requests,  or for extraordinary or emergency  purposes and then
     only in an amount not  exceeding  331/3% of the market  value of the Fund's
     total assets,  so 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, the Fund may not pledge or hypothecate in excess
     of 331/3% of the value of its total assets.  The Fund will not purchase any
     security while borrowings representing more than 5% of its total assets are
     outstanding.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM LONG-TERM TREASURY FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  With respect to 75% of its total  assets,  purchase the  securities  of any
     issuer (other than securities  issued or guaranteed by the U.S.  government
     or any of its agencies or instrumentalities)  if, as a result (a) more than
     5% of the Fund's 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)  Issue senior  securities,  except as permitted under the Investment Company
     Act of 1940 and  except  to the  extent  that  notes  evidencing  temporary
     borrowings   or  the   purchase  of   securities   on  a   when-issued   or
     delayed-delivery basis might be deemed such.

(3)  Borrow  money,  except for temporary or emergency  purposes,  and then only
     from a bank.  Such  borrowings  may not exceed  331/3% of the Fund's  total
     assets.

(4)  Underwrite  securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund
     may be considered an  underwriter  within the meaning of the Securities Act
     of 1933 in disposing of restricted securities.

(5)  Purchase the  securities  of any issuer  (other than  securities  issued or
     guaranteed   by  the   U.S.   government   or  any  of  its   agencies   or
     instrumentalities)  if, as a  result,  more  than 25% of the  Fund's  total
     assets would be invested in the  securities  of companies  whose  principal
     business activities are in the same industry.

(6)  Purchase or sell real estate  unless  acquired as a result of  ownership of
     securities or other  instruments,  provided that this  limitation  will not
     prohibit the Fund from purchasing  U.S.  government  securities  secured by
     real estate or interests therein.

(7)  Purchase  or sell  physical  commodities  unless  acquired  as a result  of
     ownership of securities or other instruments, provided that this limitation
     will not prohibit the Fund from  purchasing and selling options and futures
     contracts or from  investing in securities or other  instruments  backed by
     physical commodities.

(8)  Make loans, other than loans of portfolio securities pursuant to guidelines
     established by the Board of Trustees,  provided that this  restriction will
     not prohibit the Fund from  purchasing  debt  securities in accordance with
     its investment  objectives and policies.  Loans, in the aggregate,  will be
     limited to 331/3% of the Fund's total assets.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM ADJUSTABLE RATE GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  Borrow money in excess of 331/3% of the market  value of its total  assets,
     and then only from a 

10                                                  American Century Investments


     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, the Fund may pledge
     or  hypothecate  not in excess of 331/3% of the value of its total  assets.
     The Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings  representing more
     than 5% of its total assets are outstanding.

(2)  Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others.

(3)  Purchase, sell, or invest in real estate, commodities, commodity contracts,
     foreign exchange, or interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
     development programs,  provided that this limitation shall not prohibit the
     purchase of U.S. government securities and other debt securities secured by
     real estate or interests therein.

(4)  Engage in any short-selling operations.

(5)  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 the  Fund's  investment
     objective and policies.

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

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

(8)  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.

(9)  Issue or sell any class of senior  security  as defined  in the  Investment
     Company Act of 1940 except to the extent  that notes  evidencing  temporary
     borrowings   or  the   purchase  of   securities   on  a   when-issued   or
     delayed-delivery basis might be deemed such.

(10) 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 Fund,  more than 5% of the value of the Fund's  assets would
     be invested in shares of such investment  company,  or more than 10% of the
     value of the  Fund's  assets  would be  invested  in shares  of  investment
     companies  in the  aggregate,  or  except  in  connection  with  a  merger,
     consolidation, acquisition, or reorganization.

(11) 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.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM GNMA FUND MAY NOT:

(1)  Borrow money in excess of 331/3% 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,  the
     Fund may pledge or hypothecate  not in excess of 331/3% of the value of its
     total  assets.  The Fund will not purchase any  security  while  borrowings
     representing more than 5% of its total assets are outstanding.

(2)  Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others.

(3)  Purchase, sell, or invest in real estate, commodities, commodity contracts,
     foreign exchange, or interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
     development programs,  provided that this limitation shall not prohibit the
     purchase of U.S. government securities and other debt securities secured by
     real estate or interests therein.

(4)  Engage in any short-selling operations.

(5)  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 the  Fund's  investment
     objective and policies.

(6)  Purchase any equity  securities  in any  companies,  including  warrants or
     bonds with warrants 

Statement of Additional Information                                           11


     attached,  or any  preferred  stocks,  convertible  bonds,  or  convertible
     debentures.

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

(8)  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.

(9)  Issue or sell any class of senior  security  as defined  in the  Investment
     Company Act of 1940 except to the extent  that notes  evidencing  temporary
     borrowings   or  the   purchase  of   securities   on  a   when-issued   or
     delayed-delivery basis might be deemed such.

(10) Acquire or retain the securities of any other investment  company except in
     connection with a merger, consolidation, acquisition, or reorganization.

(11) 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.

Some of the Funds are also subject to the  following  restrictions  that are not
fundamental  and may  therefore  be  changed  by the Board of  Trustees  without
shareholder approval.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM GOVERNMENT AGENCY MONEY MARKET FUND MAY NOT:

(a)  Invest in oil, gas, or other mineral leases.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM SHORT-TERM TREASURY FUND MAY NOT:

(a)  Engage in any  short-selling  operations,  provided  that  transactions  in
     futures and options will not constitute selling securities short.

(b)  Purchase  securities  on  margin,  except  that the Fund  may  obtain  such
     short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions,  and
     provided  that margin  payments in  connection  with futures  contracts and
     options on futures contracts will not constitute  purchasing  securities on
     margin.

(c)  Purchase any security  while  borrowings  representing  more than 5% of its
     total assets are outstanding.

(d)  Purchase restricted securities.

(e)  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.

(f)  Purchase or sell futures  contracts or put or call  options,  provided that
     this  restriction  will not apply to options  attached  to, or  acquired or
     traded together with,  their  underlying  securities;  nor will it apply to
     securities  that  incorporate   features  similar  to  options  or  futures
     contracts.

(g)  Purchase the securities of other  investment  companies  except in the open
     market where no commission except the ordinary broker's  commission is paid
     or  purchase  securities  issued by other  open-end  investment  companies,
     provided that this  restriction  will not apply to  securities  received as
     dividends,  through offers of exchange, or as a result of a reorganization,
     consolidation, or merger.

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

(i)  Invest in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs or
     leases.

(j)  Purchase  securities  of any  issuer  if, to the  knowledge  of the  Fund's
     investment  advisor,  those  Trustees  and  officers of the Trust and those
     Trustees and officers of the investment  advisor who  individually own more
     than  0.5% of the  outstanding  securities  of such  issuer,  together  own
     beneficially more than 5% of such issuer's securities.

(k)  Invest  more  than 15% of the  Fund's  total  assets in the  securities  of
     issuers  which  together with any  predecessors  have a record of less than
     three  years  continuous  operation  and  securities  of issuers  which are
     restricted as to disposition (including 144A securities).

12                                                  American Century Investments


AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM LONG-TERM TREASURY FUND MAY NOT:

(a)  Engage in any  short-selling  operations,  provided  that  transactions  in
     futures and options will not constitute selling securities short.

(b)  Purchase  securities  on  margin,  except  that the Fund  may  obtain  such
     short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions,  and
     provided  that margin  payments in  connection  with futures  contracts and
     options on futures contracts will not constitute  purchasing  securities on
     margin.

(c)  Purchase any security  while  borrowings  representing  more than 5% of its
     total assets are outstanding.

(d)  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.

(e)  Purchase or sell futures  contracts or put or call  options,  provided that
     this  restriction  will not apply to options  attached  to, or  acquired or
     traded together with,  their  underlying  securities;  nor will it apply to
     securities  that  incorporate   features  similar  to  options  or  futures
     contracts.

(f)  Purchase the securities of other  investment  companies  except in the open
     market where no commission except the ordinary broker's  commission is paid
     or  purchase  securities  issued by other  open-end  investment  companies,
     provided that this  restriction  will not apply to  securities  received as
     dividends,  through offers of exchange, or as a result of a reorganization,
     consolidation, or merger.

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

(h)  Invest in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs or
     leases.

(i)  Purchase  securities  of any  issuer  if, to the  knowledge  of the  Fund's
     investment  advisor,  those  Trustees and officers of the Trust,  and those
     Trustees and officers of the investment  advisor who  individually own more
     than  0.5% of the  outstanding  securities  of such  issuer,  together  own
     beneficially more than 5% of such issuer's securities.

(j)  Invest  more  than 15% of the  Fund's  total  assets in the  securities  of
     issuers  which  together with any  predecessors  have a record of less than
     three year's  continuous  operation  and  securities  of issuers  which are
     restricted as to disposition (including 144A securities).

(k)  Purchase restricted securities.

AMERICAN CENTURY--BENHAM ADJUSTABLE RATE GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND MAY NOT:

(a)  Invest in oil, gas, or other mineral leases.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Each Fund's assets are invested by the Manager in a manner  consistent  with the
Fund's  investment  objectives,   policies,  and  restrictions,   and  with  any
instructions  from the Board of  Trustees  that may be issued 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 efforts to obtain the 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
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  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 the prices is known as a spread.

On behalf of the Funds,  the Manager  transacts  in round lots  ($100,000 to $10
million or more)  whenever  possible.  Since  commissions  are not  charged  for
round-lot transactions of U.S. Treasury securities, the Funds' transaction costs
consist solely of custodian charges and dealer mark-ups.  Each Fund may hold its

Statement of Additional Information                                           13


portfolio securities to maturity or sell or swap them for others, depending upon
the level and slope of, and anticipated  changes in, the yield curve.  The Funds
paid no brokerage commissions during the fiscal year ended March 31, 1996.

The  following  table  illustrates  the portfolio  turnover  rates for each Fund
(except Government Agency) for the fiscal years ended March 31, 1996, and 1995.

                    Portfolio Turnover Rates
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Fiscal Year       Fiscal Year
Fund                                  1996              1995
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
Short-Term Treasury                  224.03%           140.82%
Intermediate-Term Treasury           167.89%            92.35%
Long-Term Treasury                   112.35%           146.81%
ARM Fund                             221.35%            60.29%
GNMA Fund                             63.54%           119.56%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------

VALUATION OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

Each Fund's net asset value per share  ("NAV") is  calculated as of the close of
business of the New York Stock Exchange (the  "Exchange"),  usually at 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,  and  Christmas  (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.

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.

Securities held by GOVERNMENT  AGENCY are valued on the basis of amortized cost.
This method involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a
constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium paid at the time of
purchase.  Although this method  provides  certainty in valuation,  it generally
disregards the effect of fluctuating  interest rates on an  instrument's  market
value.  Consequently,  the  instrument's  amortized  cost value may be higher or
lower than its market value, and this discrepancy may be reflected in the Fund's
yield. During periods of declining interest rates, for example,  the daily yield
on Fund  shares  computed as  described  above may be higher than that of a fund
with identical investments priced at market value. The converse would apply in a
period of rising interest rates.

The amortized  cost valuation  method is permitted in accordance  with Rule 2a-7
under the 1940 Act.  Under the Rule, a fund such as Government  Agency,  holding
itself out as a money market fund,  must adhere to certain  quality and maturity
criteria which are described in the Prospectus.

The Board of Trustees  has  established  procedures  designed to  stabilize  the
Government  Agency's NAV at $1.00 per share to the extent  reasonably  possible.
These  procedures  require  the  Fund's  Chief  Financial  Officer to notify the
Trustees  immediately  if, at any time,  the Fund's  weighted  average  maturity
exceeds 60 days, or its NAV, as determined by using available market quotations,
deviates  from its amortized  cost per share by .25% or more. If such  deviation
exceeds .40%, a meeting of the Board of Trustees' audit committee will be called
to consider what action,  if any,  should be taken.  If such  deviation  exceeds
 .50%, the Fund's Chief Financial  Officer is instructed to adjust daily dividend
distributions  immediately  to the extent  necessary to reduce the  deviation to
 .50% or lower and to call a meeting of the Board of Trustees to consider further
action.

Actions the Board of Trustees may consider under these circumstances include (a)
selling  portfolio  securities prior to maturity,  (b) withholding  dividends or
distributions from capital, (c) authorizing a one-time dividend adjustment,  (d)
discounting  share purchases and initiating  redemptions in kind, or (e) valuing
portfolio securities at market for purposes of calculating NAV.

Most  securities held by the  VARIABLE-PRICE  FUNDS are valued at current market
value as provided by an independent pricing service. Other securities are priced
at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant to guidelines  established by
the Funds' Board of Trustees.

14                                                  American Century Investments

PERFORMANCE

A Fund may quote performance in various ways. Historical performance information
will be used in advertising and sales literature and is not indicative of future
results.  A Fund's share price,  yield and return will vary with changing market
conditions.

For GOVERNMENT AGENCY,  yield quotations are based on the change in the value of
a hypothetical  investment (excluding realized gains and losses from the sale of
securities and unrealized  appreciation  and  depreciation of securities) over a
seven-day  period (base period) and stated as a percentage of the  investment at
the start of the base period  (base-period  return).  The base-period  return is
then  annualized by  multiplying  it by 365/7,  with the resulting  yield figure
carried to at least the nearest hundredth of one percent.

Calculations of effective yield begin with the same  base-period  return used to
calculate yield, but the return is then annualized to reflect weekly compounding
according to the following formula:

Effective Yield = [(Base-Period Return + 1)365/7] - 1

For the seven-day  period ended March 31, 1996,  Government  Agency's  yield was
4.73% and its effective yield was 4.84%.

For the  VARIABLE-PRICE  FUNDS,  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  the
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 Variable-Price  Fund's yield for the 30-day period ended March 31, 1996, is
indicated in the following table.

Fund                               30-day Yield
- --------------------------------------------------
Short-Term Treasury                   5.02%
Intermediate-Term Treasury            5.43
Long-Term Treasury                    6.18
ARM Fund                              5.43
GNMA Fund                             6.86
- --------------------------------------------------

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 10
years would produce an average annual total return of 7.18%, which is the steady
annual rate that would result in 100% growth on a compounded  basis in 10 years.
While  average  annual  total  returns  are  a  convenient  means  of  comparing
investment alternatives, investors should realize that the Funds' performance is
not constant over time,  but changes from year to year,  and that average annual
returns   represent   averaged   figures  as  opposed  to  actual   year-to-year
performance.

The Funds'  average annual returns for the one-year,  five-year,  ten-year,  and
life-of-fund periods ended March 31, 1996, are indicated in the following table.

                          Average Annual Total Returns
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Life-of-
Fund                            One-Year    Five-Years    Ten-Years      Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency1                5.35%        4.17%         N/A         4.98%
Short-Term Treasury2              6.71          N/A          N/A         4.35
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury3                      8.42         7.14         6.85%        8.99
Long-Term Treasury2              13.46          N/A          N/A         7.26
ARM Fund4                         6.42          N/A          N/A         4.62
GNMA Fund5                       10.08         7.93         8.50         8.99
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Commenced operations on December 5, 1989.
2 Commenced operations on September 8, 1992.
3 Commenced operations on May 16, 1980.
4 Commenced operations on September 3, 1991.
5 Commenced operations on September 23, 1985.

Statement of Additional Information                                           15


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 a  percentage  or as a  dollar  amount  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)  in order to
illustrate the  relationship of these factors and their  contributions  to total
return.  Performance information may be quoted numerically or in a table, graph,
or similar illustration.

The Funds'  performance  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  American
Century funds, are sold with a sales charge or deferred sales charge. Sources of
economic  data that may be used for 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  historical
performance.

The Funds' shares are sold without a sales charge (or load). No-load funds offer
an advantage to investors when compared to load funds with comparable investment
objectives and strategies.

TAXES

FEDERAL INCOME TAX

Each Fund intends to qualify each year 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 not incur federal or state income taxes on its net
investment income and on net realized capital gains to the extent distributed as
dividends to shareholders.

Amounts not  distributed  on a timely basis in  accordance  with a calendar year
distribution  requirement  are subject to a  nondeductible  4% excise tax at the
Fund level. To avoid the tax, a Fund must  distribute  during each calendar year
an  amount  equal to the sum of (a) at least  98% if its  ordinary  income  (not
taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar  year,  (b) at
least 98% of its capital gains in excess of capital losses (adjusted for certain
ordinary  losses) for a one-year  period  generally  ending on October 31 of the
calendar year, and (c) all ordinary  income and capital gains for previous years
that were not distributed during such years.

Under the Code,  dividends  derived from interest,  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  made  from a Fund's  net  realized  long-term  capital  gains and
designated as capital gain  dividends 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. A distribution will be treated as paid on December
31st of a calendar  year if it is  declared  by a Fund in  October,  November or
December  of the year  with a record  date in such a month  and paid by the Fund
during

16                                                  American Century Investments


January  of  the  following  year.  Such   distributions   will  be  taxable  to
shareholders in the calendar year the  distributions  are declared,  rather than
the calendar year in which the distributions are received.

Upon  redeeming,  selling,  or  exchanging  shares of a  Variable-Price  Fund, a
shareholder  will realize a taxable gain or loss depending upon his or her 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 to the extent of capital gain dividends paid (or deemed paid).

As of March 31,  1996,  capital  loss  carryovers  were as  follows:  $7,505,846
(Intermediate-Term  Treasury),  $857,191 (Long-Term Treasury),  $69,205,630 (ARM
Fund),  and $23,041,420  (GNMA Fund). All loss carryovers will expire during the
period March 31, 2000, through March 31, 2004. A Fund will not make capital gain
distributions to its shareholders  until all of its capital loss carryovers have
been offset or expired.

The Funds may  invest in  obligations  issued at a  discount.  In that  case,  a
portion of the discount element  generally is included in the Fund's  investment
company  taxable  income in each taxable period in which the obligation is held.
Such  amounts are subject to the Fund's  tax-related  distribution  requirements
even if not received by the Fund in cash in that period.

Dividends  paid by Government  Agency,  Short-Term  Treasury,  Intermediate-Term
Treasury,  and Long-Term Treasury are exempt from state personal income taxes in
all states to the extent these Funds derive their income from debt securities of
the U.S. government, whose interest payments are state tax-exempt.

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.  The Funds'  distributions may also be
subject to state,  local,  or foreign  taxes.  To determine  whether a Fund is a
suitable  investment based on his or her tax situation,  a prospective  investor
may wish to consult a tax advisor.

ABOUT THE TRUST

American Century Government Income Trust (the "Trust") (formerly known as Benham
Government Income Trust) is a registered open-end management  investment company
that  was  organized  as a  Massachusetts  business  trust  on  July  24,  1985.
Currently,   there  are  six   series  of  the   Trust  as   follows:   American
Century--Benham  Government  Agency Money Market Fund (formerly  known as Benham
Government  Agency  Fund),  American  Century--Benham  Short-Term  Treasury Fund
(formerly  known as  Benham  Short-Term  Treasury  and  Agency  Fund),  American
Century--Benham  Intermediate-Term  Treasury  Fund  (formerly  known  as  Benham
Treasury Note Fund), American Century--Benham  Long-Term Treasury Fund (formerly
known as Benham Long-Term  Treasury and Agency Fund),  American  Century--Benham
Adjustable Rate Government  Securities Fund (formerly known as Benham Adjustable
Rate  Government  Securities  Fund),  and  American  Century--Benham  GNMA  Fund
(formerly  known as Benham GNMA Income  Fund).  The Board of Trustees may create
additional series from time to time.

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 (funds).  Shares issued are fully paid and nonassessable and
have no preemptive, conversion, or similar rights.

Each series  votes  separately  on matters  affecting  that series  exclusively.
Voting rights are not cumulative, so that investors holding more than 50% of the
Trust's (i.e.,  all series')  outstanding  shares may elect a Board of Trustees.
The Trust has instituted  dollar-based voting,  meaning that the number of votes
you are  entitled  to is based upon the  dollar  value of your  investment.  The
election  of  Trustees  is  determined  by the  votes  received  from all  Trust
shareholders,  without regard to whether a majority of  shareholders  of any one
series voted in favor of a particular nominee or all nominees as a group. Shares
of each series have equal rights as to dividends and  distributions  declared by
the  series  and in the net  assets  of such  series  upon  its  liquidation  or
dissolution.

Statement of Additional Information                                           17


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 because of shareholder
liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate  insurance exists
and the Trust is unable to meet its obligations.

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

INDEPENDENT  AUDITORS:  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, 1000 Walnut,  Suite 1600,  Kansas
City, Missouri 64106,  serves as the Trust's  independent  auditors and provides
services including (a) audit of annual financial  statements and (b) preparation
of annual federal income tax returns filed on behalf of the Fund.

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

The Trust's  activities  are  overseen  by a Board of  Trustees,  including  six
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  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.  Each trustee listed below serves as Trustee or director
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 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

18                                                  American Century Investments


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. (1994).

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.

The table on the next page summarizes the compensation  that the Trustees of the
Funds  received for the Funds'  fiscal year ended March 31, 1996, as well as the
compensation  received  for  serving as a Director or Trustee of all other funds
advised by the Manager.

As of July 31, 1996, the Trust's officers and Trustees,  as a group,  owned less
than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

The  Funds  have  an  investment  advisory  agree-ment  with  Benham  Management
Corporation  dated June 1, 1995,  that was approved by  shareholders  on May 31,
1995.

The Manager is a California  corporation and 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 family
of 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.

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 a majority of the Fund's
shareholders or by vote of either a majority of the Trust's Trustees,  including
a majority  of those  Trustees  who are  neither  parties to the  agreement  nor
interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval.

Each Fund's 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.

Pursuant to the investment  advisory  agreement,  the Manager provides each Fund
with investment advice and portfolio  management services in accordance with the
Fund's investment objectives, policies, and restrictions. The Manager determines
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.

Statement of Additional Information                                           19

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

TRUSTEE COMPENSATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 1996

                           Aggregate           Pension or Retirement         Estimated          Total Compensation
      Name of            Compensation         Benefits Accrued As Part    Annual Benefits     From Each Fund and Fund
     Trustee*           From Each Fund            of Fund Expenses        Upon Retirement   Complex** Paid to Trustees
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                  <C>                         <C>                     <C>                        <C>    
Albert Eisenstat     $267  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $29,500
                       20  (Short-Term)
                      165  (Intermediate-Term)
                       55  (Long-Term)
                      165  (ARM)
                      593  (GNMA)

Ronald J. Gilson   $1,450  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $79,833
                      885  (Short-Term)
                    1,222  (Intermediate-Term)
                      929  (Long-Term)
                    1,252  (ARM)
                    2,178  (GNMA)

Myron S. Scholes   $1,776  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $69,500
                    1,066  (Short-Term)
                    1,492  (Intermediate-Term)
                    1,110  (Long-Term)
                    1,549  (ARM)
                    2,683  (GNMA)

Kenneth E. Scott   $2,032  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $75,773
                    1,084  (Short-Term)
                    1,649  (Intermediate-Term)
                    1,169  (Long-Term)
                    2,702  (ARM)
                    3,258  (GNMA)

Ezra Solomon       $1,765  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $70,249
                    1,060  (Short-Term)
                    1,481  (Intermediate-Term)
                    1,118  (Long-Term)
                    1,523  (ARM)
                    2,661  (GNMA)

Isaac Stein        $1,791  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $70,500
                    1,068  (Short-Term)
                    1,503  (Intermediate-Term)
                    1,120  (Long-Term)
                    1,557  (ARM)
                    2,727  (GNMA)

Jeanne D. Wohlers  $1,825  (Government Agency)     Not Applicable         Not Applicable              $71,250
                    1,069  (Short-Term)
                    1,521  (Intermediate-Term)
                    1,127  (Long-Term)
                    1,571  (ARM)
                    2,799  (GNMA)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*    Interested Trustees receive no compensation for their services as such.
**   American Century family of funds includes nearly 70 no-load mutual funds.
</TABLE>

20                                                  American Century Investments



For these services, each Fund pays the Manager a monthly investment advisory fee
based on a percentage  of the Trust's  average daily net assets to the following
investment advisory fee schedule:

     .50% of the first $100 million;  
     .45% of the next $100 million; 
     .40% of the next $100 million;  
     .35% of the next $100 million;  
     .30% of the next $100 million;  
     .25% of the next $1 billion; 
     .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; and
     .19% of average daily net assets over $6.5 billion.

Investment  advisory  fees paid by each Fund to the Manager for the fiscal years
ended March 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, are indicated in the following  table.  Fee
amounts are net of reimbursements as described below.

                            Investment Advisory Fees*
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Fiscal         Fiscal          Fiscal
Fund                         1996           1995            1994
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency        $1,104,214      $1,014,951      $1,073,248
Short-Term Treasury         118,721          60,440          11,846
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury                 867,876         875,087       1,020,441
Long-Term Treasury          174,665          33,915           7,598
ARM Fund                    971,274       1,646,614       3,282,058
GNMA Fund                 2,980,327       2,807,230       3,322,727
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*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  advised 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 a monthly fee of $1.3958 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 March 31,  1996,  1995,  and 1994 are  indicated  in the  following
tables.  Fee amounts are net of  reimbursements  as described  under the Section
titled "Expense Limitation Agreement."

                              Administrative Fees*
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Fiscal        Fiscal        Fiscal
Fund                        1996          1995          1994
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency         $475,745      $478,410      $564,901
Short-Term Treasury         39,657        30,662        21,286
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury                301,079       312,814       378,294
Long-Term Treasury          69,302        23,884        19,336
ARM Fund                   423,862       595,079     1,215,816
GNMA Fund                1,149,339     1,003,636     1,232,514
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
*Net of Reimbursements

                               Transfer Agent Fees
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Fiscal        Fiscal        Fiscal
Fund                        1996          1995          1994
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency         $591,421      $636,462      $863,944
Short-Term Treasury         44,415        36,254        29,973
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury                283,949       317,653       356,584
Long-Term Treasury         120,818        37,365        26,909
ARM Fund                   329,830       684,702     1,141,251
GNMA Fund                1,033,782     1,178,768     1,348,081
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
*Net of Reimbursements

Statement of Additional Information                                           21

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 Funds' 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, and pricing fees; fees of outside counsel and counsel  employed  directly
by the  Trust;  costs  of  printing  and  mailing  prospectuses,  statements  of
additional  information,  notices,  confirmations,  and reports to shareholders;
fees for registering the Funds' shares under federal and state  securities laws;
brokerage fees and commissions;  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 has agreed to limit each Fund's  expenses to a specified  percentage
of its average daily net assets during the year ending May 31, 1997, as follows:

     Government Agency               .60%
     Short-Term Treasury             .60%
     Intermediate-Term Treasury      .60%
     Long-Term Treasury              .60%
     ARM Fund                        .60%
     GNMA Fund                       .60%

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,  a Fund's
expenses  were less than the expense  limit in effect at that time.  Each Fund's
expense  limit for the years ending May 31, 1996 and 1995,  as a  percentage  of
average daily net assets, was as follows:

                              1996            1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency             .50%            .50%
Short-Term Treasury           .65%            .66%
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury                   .65%            .66%
Long-Term Treasury            .65%            .66%
ARM Fund                      .65%            .60%
GNMA Fund                     .65%            .66%
- -------------------------------------------------------------

Net  amounts  absorbed or recouped  for the fiscal  years ended March 31,  1996,
1995, and 1994, are indicated in the following table:

                         Net Expense Absorbed (Recouped)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Fiscal        Fiscal        Fiscal
Fund                        1996          1995          1994
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Agency         $267,261      $323,152      $451,622
Short-Term Treasury         (4,468)       25,537        45,651
Intermediate-Term
   Treasury                      0             0             0
Long-Term Treasury          25,358        33,125        44,468
ARM Fund                   (20,799)       11,331             0
GNMA Fund                        0             0             0
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

The  Funds'  shares  are  continuously   offered  at  net  asset  value.   Share
certificates  are  issued  (without  charge)  only when  requested  in  writing.
Certificates  are not issued for fractional  shares.  Dividend and voting rights
are not affected by the issuance of certificates.

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 Fund's tax status; or whenever,  in management's
opinion, such rejection is in the Trust's or a Fund's best interest.

As of July 31, 1996, to the knowledge of the Trust, the  shareholders  listed in
the  chart  below  were  the  only  record  holders  of  greater  than 5% of the
outstanding shares of the individual Funds.

22                                                  American Century Investments


FUND                          SHORT-TERM TREASURY
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94104
# of Shares Held              603,137.117
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   17.6%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          J. Harris Morgan
Address                       P.O. Box 556
                              Greenville, TX 75401
# of Shares Held              311,870.707
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   9.1%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Allied Clearings Co.
Address                       P.O. Box 94303
                              Pasadena, CA 91109
# of Shares Held              284,388.710
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   8.3%
- --------------------------------------------------------

FUND                          INTERMEDIATE-TERM TREASURY
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94104
# of Shares Held              3,200,170.936
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   10.9%
- --------------------------------------------------------

FUND                          LONG-TERM TREASURY
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94104
# of Shares Held              6,328,833.651
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   49.6%
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          National Financial Svcs. Corp.
Address                       P.O. Box 3908
                              New York, NY 10008-3908
# of Shares Held              1,236,573.553
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   9.7%
- --------------------------------------------------------

FUND                          ARM FUND
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94104
# of Shares Held              1,705,107.859
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   6.1%
- --------------------------------------------------------

FUND                          GNMA FUND
- --------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Name and          Charles Schwab & Co.
Address                       101 Montgomery Street
                              San Francisco, CA 94104
# of Shares Held              16,179,349.628
% of Total Shares
Outstanding                   15.2%
- --------------------------------------------------------

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.

OTHER INFORMATION

The Manager has been  continuously  registered  with the Securities and Exchange
Commission  (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 1940 Act 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,  please refer to registration statement and exhibits on
file with the SEC in Washington, D.C. 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                                           23

                                      NOTES

24   Notes                                          American Century Investments



                                      NOTES

Statement of Additional Information                                   Notes   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

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