VTAPX Mutual Fund — Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX)

Updated October 16, 2026.

VTAPX is a low-cost Mutual Fund. its distribution rate is 2.85%, its trailing-12-month yield is 4.79%, its expense ratio is 0.06%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 69/100 (Generally safe). Total return is 35.2% over the past 14 years, 531.5 points behind SPY at 566.7%.

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares is a mutual fund that tracks a market-capitalization-weighted index of U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities with remaining maturities under five years, providing exposure to inflation-hedged short-duration fixed income. The fund distributes quarterly and carries a modest expense ratio of 0.06%. It appeals to income-focused investors seeking inflation protection with lower interest-rate sensitivity than longer-duration bonds.

VTAPX performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 35.2% over the past 14 years, 531.5 points behind SPY at 566.7%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 1.7%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 1.8%.

VTAPX key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

69 · Generally safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

1.97%

Issuer

Vanguard

Asset type

Mutual Fund

Asset class

Fixed Income

Inception date

10/16/2012

Expense ratio

0.06%

Distribution rate

2.85%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

4.79%

Last close

$24.41 (as of 2026-10-16)

NAV

$24.26 as of 2026-09-30; source eodhd (stale)

Premium / discount

N/A (price 2026-10-16, NAV 2026-09-30) (NAV stale)

AUM

$73,167,480,000

Average volume

0.0

Dividend

$0.466

Ex-dividend date

10/01/2026

Payment date

10/02/2026

Beta

0.22

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (2.85%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (4.79%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: Vanguard or company page; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

VTAPX risks and drawbacks

VTAPX's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are quarterly, so cash flow is lumpy versus a monthly fund. Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 1.8%.

Who may consider VTAPX — and who may not

VTAPX may suit someone looking for low-cost broad dividend exposure, moderate current income with a quality tilt. It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (VTAPX pays quarterly); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

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Frequently asked questions

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