<PAGE>
PAGE 1
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 (File No. 33-5102) X
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 28 (File No. 811-4647) X
IDS SPECIAL TAX-EXEMPT SERIES TRUST
IDS Tower 10, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-0534
(612) 330-9283
Leslie L. Ogg - 901 Marquette Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55402-3268
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
appropriate box)
X immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date
for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
The registrant has registered an indefinite number or amount of
securities under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to section
24f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Rule 24f-2 Notice for
its most recent fiscal year was filed on or about Aug. 31, 1994.
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<TABLE><CAPTION>
Cross reference sheet for IDS California, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Ohio Tax-Exempt and Insured Funds
prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information of
the information called for by the items enumerated in
Part A and Part B of Form N-1A.
Negative answers omitted from Part A or Part B are so indicated.
PART A PART B
Section Section in
Item No. in Prospectus Item No. Statement of Additional Information
<S> <C> <C> <C>
1 Cover page of prospectus 10 Cover page of SAI
2 The fund in brief; Sales charge and fund 11 Table of Contents
expenses
12 NA
3(a) Financial highlights
(b) NA 13(a) Additional Investment Policies; all
(c) Performance appendices except Dollar-Cost Averaging
(d) Financial highlights (b) Additional Investment Policies
(c) Additional Investment Policies
4(a) The fund in brief; Investment policies and (d) Portfolio Transactions
risks; How the fund is organized
(b) Investment policies and risks 14(a) Directors and officers of the fund;**
(c) Investment policies and risks Directors and officers
(b) Directors and Officers
5(a) Directors and officers; Directors and (c) Directors and Officers
officers of the fund (listing)
(b) How the fund is organized; About American 15(a) NA
Express Financial Corporation (b) NA
(b)(i) About American Express Financial (c) Directors and Officers
Corporation -- General Information
(b)(ii) Investment manager and transfer agent 16(a)(i) How the fund is organized; About American
(b)(iii) Investment manager and transfer agent Express Financial Corporation**
(c) Portfolio manager (a)(ii) Agreements: Investment Management Services
(d) The fund in brief Agreement, Plan and Supplemental
(e) Investment manager and transfer agent Agreement of Distribution
(f) Distributor (a)(iii) Agreements: Investment Management Services Agreement
(g) Investment manager and transfer agent (b) Agreements: Investment Management Services Agreement
(c) NA
5A(a) * (d) Agreements: Administrative Services
(b) * Agreement, Shareholder Service Agreement
(e) NA
6(a) Shares; Voting rights (f) Agreements: Distribution Agreement
(b) NA (g) NA
(c) NA (h) Custodian; Independent Auditors
(d) Voting Rights (i) Agreements: Transfer Agency Agreement; Custodian
(e) Cover page; Special shareholder services
(f) Dividends and capital gains distributions; 17(a) Portfolio Transactions
Reinvestments (b) Brokerage Commissions Paid to Brokers Affiliated
(g) Taxes with American Express Financial Corporation
(c) Portfolio Transactions
7(a) Distributor (d) Portfolio Transactions
(b) Key terms; Valuing assets (e) Portfolio Transactions
(c) How to buy, exchange or sell shares
(d) How to buy shares 18(a) Shares and Voting rights**
(e) NA (b) NA
(f) Distributor
19(a) Investing in the Fund
8(a) How to sell shares (b) Valuing Fund Shares; Investing in the Fund
(b) NA (c) NA
(c) How to buy shares: Three ways to invest
(d) How to buy, exchange or sell shares: 20 Taxes
Redemption policies -- "Important..."
21(a) Agreements: Distribution Agreement
9 None (b) Agreements: Distribution Agreement
(c) NA
22(a) Performance Information (for money market
funds only)
(b) Performance Information (for all funds except
money market funds)
23 Financial Statements <PAGE>
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*Designates information is located in annual report.
**Designates page number in prospectus.
/TABLE
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
The prospectus and Statement of Additional Information contained in
this Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to Registration Statement No.
33-5103 are related to and are identical with the prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information for the IDS Minnesota,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and Ohio Funds contained in Post-
Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No. 33-5102
for IDS Special Tax-Exempt Series Trust. The cross reference sheet
below shows the location in the prospectus and the Statement of
Additional Information of the information called for by the items
enumerated in Part A and Part B of Form N-1A.
Negative answers omitted from Part A or Part B are so indicated.
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PART A. Registrant's effective prospectus to this registration
statement is hereby incorporated by reference.
PART B. Registrant's effective statement of additional
information for this registration statement is hereby
incorporated by reference.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
These financial statements filed electronically as Item 24(a)
to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to
Registration Statement No. 33-5102 are incorporated herein by
reference:
o Independent Auditors' Report dated August 5, 1994
o Statement of Assets and Liabilities, June 30, 1994
o Statement of Operations, Year ended June 30, 1994
o Statement of Changes in Net Assets, for the two-year
period ended June 30, 1993 and June 30, 1994
o Notes to Financial Statements
o Investments in Securities, June 30, 1994
o Notes to Investments in Securities
Semiannual Report Data (unaudited):
o Statement of Assets and Liabilities, December 31, 1994
o Statement of Operations, Period ended December 31, 1994
o Statement of Changes in Net Assets, for the period
ended December 31, 1994
o Investments in Securities, December 31, 1994
o Notes to Investments in Securities
(b) EXHIBITS:
1. Declaration of Trust dated April 7, 1986, filed as Exhibit
No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is incorporated
herein by reference.
2. Amended By-laws dated May 14, 1987, filed as Exhibit No. 2 to
Registration Statement 33-5102 is incorporated herein by
reference.
3. Not Applicable.
4. Form of Certificate for shares of beneficial interest filed
as Exhibit No. 4 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by
reference.
5. Form of Investment Management Services Agreement between
Registrant and American Express Financial Corporation, dated
March 20, 1995, filed electronically as Exhibit 5 to
Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration
Statement No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.<PAGE>
PAGE 6
6. Form of Distribution Agreement between Registrant and
American Express Financial Advisors Inc., dated March 20,
1995, filed electronically as Exhibit 6 to Registrant's Post-
Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No. 33-
5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
7. All employees are eligible to participate in a profit sharing
plan. Entry into the plan is Jan. 1 or July 1. The
Registrant contributes each year an amount up to 15 percent
of their annual salaries, the maximum deductible amount
permitted under Section 404(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
8. Form of Custodian Agreement between Registrant and American
Express Trust Company, dated March 20, 1995, filed
electronically as Exhibit 8 to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is
incorporated herein by reference.
9(a). Insurance Agreement between IDS Insured Tax-Exempt Fund and
Financial Guaranty Insurance Company filed as Exhibit No. 9
to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement
No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
9(b). Form of Transfer Agency Agreement between Registrant and
American Express Financial Corporation, dated March 20, 1995,
filed electronically as Exhibit 9(b) to Registrant's Post-
Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No. 33-
5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
9(c). Form of Shareholder Service Agreement between Registrant and
American Express Financial Advisors Inc., dated March 20,
1995, filed electronically as Exhibit 9(c) to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No.
33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
9(d). Form of Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant
and American Express Financial Corporation, dated March 20,
1995, filed electronically to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is
incorporated herein by reference.
10. Opinion and Consent of Counsel filed as Exhibit No. 10 to
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No.
33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
11. Independent Auditors' Consent filed electronically as Exhibit
11 to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to
Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by
reference.
12. None.
13. Not Applicable.
14. Forms of Keogh, IRA and other retirement plans filed as
Exhibits 14(a) through 14(n) to IDS Growth Fund, Inc. Post-
Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registration Statement No. 2-
38355 on Sept. 8, 1986, are incorporated herein by reference.
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PAGE 7
15. Form of Plan and Agreement of Distribution between Registrant
and American Express Financial Advisors Inc., dated March 20,
1995, filed electronically as Exhibit 15 to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement No.
33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
16. Schedule for computation of each performance quotation
provided in the Registration Statement in response to Item 22
as Exhibit 16 to Registration Statement No. 33-5102 is
incorporated herein by reference.
17. Financial Data Schedule filed electronically as Exhibit 17 to
Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration
Statement No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
18. Copy of plan pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act is
filed electronically herewith.
19(a). Trustees' Power of Attorney to sign Amendments to this
Registration Statement dated November 10, 1994, filed
electronically as Exhibit 18(a) to Registrant's Post-
Effective Amendment No. 23, is incorporated herein by
reference.
19(b). Officers' Power of Attorney to sign Amendments to this
Registration Statement dated June 1, 1993, filed
electronically as Exhibit 17(a) to Registration Statement
No. 33-5102 is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 25. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with
Registrant
None.
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Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities
(1) (2)
Number of Record
Holders as of
Title of Class May 1, 1995
IDS Insured Tax-Exempt Fund 17,012
Shares of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
IDS Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund 2,970
Shares of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
IDS Michigan Tax-Exempt Fund 2,768
Shares of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
IDS Minnesota Tax-Exempt Fund 15,471
Shares of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
IDS New York Tax-Exempt Fund 4,731
Shares of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
IDS Ohio Tax-Exempt Fund 2,712
Share of Beneficial
Interest
$.01 par value
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Item 27. Indemnification
The Declaration of Trust of the registrant provides that the Trust
shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party, by reason of the fact that he is or was a
trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, or is or was
serving at the request of the Trust as a trustee, officer, employee
or agent of another company, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, wherever brought, and the Trust may purchase
liability insurance and advance legal expenses, all to the fullest
extent permitted by the laws of the State of Massachusetts, as now
existing or hereafter amended. The By-laws of the registrant
provide that present or former directors or officers of the Trust
made or threatened to be made a party to or involved (including as
a witness) in an actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding
shall be indemnified by the Trust to the full extent authorized by
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, all as more fully
set forth in the By-laws filed as an exhibit to this registration
statement.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and
controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
Any indemnification hereunder shall not be exclusive of any other
rights of indemnification to which the trustees, officers,
employees or agents might otherwise be entitled. No
indemnification shall be made in violation of the Investment
Company Act of 1940.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant, IDS Special Tax-
Exempt Series Trust, certifies that it meets the requirements for
the effectiveness of this Amendment to its Registration Statement
pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1993, and has
duly caused this Amendment to its Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized,
in the City of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota on the 8th
day of May, 1995.
IDS SPECIAL TAX-EXEMPT SERIES TRUST
By /s/ Melinda S. Urion
Melinda S. Urion, Treasurer
By /s/ William R. Pearce**
William R. Pearce, President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Amendment to its Registration Statement has been signed below by
the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 8th day of
May, 1995.
Signature Capacity
/s/ William R. Pearce** President,Principal
William R. Pearce Executive Officer
and Trustee
/s/ Leslie L. Ogg** Vice President,
Leslie L. Ogg General Counsel
and Secretary
/s/Lynne V. Cheney* Trustee
Lynn V. Cheney
/s/ William H. Dudley* Trustee
William H. Dudley
/s/ Robert F. Froehlke* Trustee
Robert F. Froehlke
/s/ David R. Hubers* Trustee
David R. Hubers
/s/ Heinz F. Hutter* Trustee
Heinz F. Hutter<PAGE>
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Signature Capacity
/s/ Anne P. Jones* Trustee
Anne P. Jones
/s/ Donald M. Kendall* Trustee
Donald M. Kendall
/s/ Melvin R. Laird* Trustee
Melvin R. Laird
/s/ Lewis W. Lehr* Trustee
Lewis W. Lehr
/s/ Edson W. Spencer* Trustee
Edson W. Spencer
/s/ John R. Thomas* Trustee
John R. Thomas
/s/ Wheelock Whitney* Trustee
Wheelock Whitney
/s/ C. Angus Wurtele* Trustee
C. Angus Wurtele
*Signed pursuant to Trustees' Power of Attorney filed
electronically as Exhibit 18(a) to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23, by:
/s/ Leslie L. Ogg
Leslie L. Ogg
**Signed pursuant to Officers' Power of Attorney filed on or about
June 23, 1994 as Exhibit 17(a) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 21
to Registration Statement No. 33-5102 by:
/s/ Leslie L. Ogg
Leslie L. Ogg
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CONTENTS OF THIS
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 25
TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 33-5102
This Post-Effective Amendment comprises the following papers and
documents:
The facing sheet.
The cross-reference page.
PART A
Prospectus for IDS California, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, New York and Ohio Tax-Exempt Funds.
Prospectus for IDS Insured Tax-Exempt Fund.
PART B
Statement of Additional Information for IDS California,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Ohio Tax-
Exempt Funds.
Statement of Additional Information for IDS Insured Tax-Exempt
Fund.
Financial Statements.
PART C
Other information.
Exhibits.
The signatures.
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PAGE 13
<PAGE>
PAGE 1 IDS Bond Fund, Inc.
March 20, 1995
Plan under Section 18f-3(d)
Filed pursuant to Item 24(b)(18) of Form N-lA
Separate Arrangements
Each class of shares will represent interests in the same portfolio
of investments of the Fund and be identical except those
differences that relate to (a) the impact of the disproportionate
payments made under the Rule 12b-1 plan; (b) the impact of the
disproportionate payments made because of service fees; (c) the
differences in class expenses including transfer agent fees and any
other expense determined by the board of directors to be a class
expense; and (d) the difference in voting rights on the 12b-1 plan,
exchange privileges and class designations. The current classes of
shares are as follows:
Class A shares - 5% initial sales charge waived or reduced
for certain purchases.
Class B shares - contingent deferred sales charge ranging
from 5% down to 0% after six years.
Class Y shares - no sales charge
Expense Allocation Procedures
American Express Financial Corporation, as the Fund's
administrator, on a daily basis shall allocate the income,
expenses, and realized and unrealized gains and losses of the Fund
on the basis of the relative percentage of net assets of each class
of shares, except class specific expenses for service fees, 12b-1
distribution fees, and transfer agent fees which shall be paid
directly by each class as follows:
Class A and Class B service fee - 17.5 basis points
Class B distribution fee - 75 basis points
Class B transfer agent fee - an additional $1 for each
shareholder account
Should at any time an expense of a class be waived or reimbursed,
American Express Financial Corporation first shall determine that
such waiver or reimbursement would not result in another class
subsidizing the class, is fair and equitable to all classes and
does not operate to the detriment of another class and then shall
monitor the implementation and operation to assure the waiver or
reimbursement operates consistent with the determination. The board
of directors shall monitor the actions of American Express
Financial Corporation.
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PAGE 2
Exchange Privileges
Shares of a class may be exchanged for shares of the same class of
another fund in the IDS MUTUAL FUND GROUP.
Conversion Privileges
Class B shares including a proportionate amount of shares acquired
through reinvestment of distributions shall convert after eight
years into Class A shares at relative net asset values without the
imposition of any fee.
