Strategy. The VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by generally investing in a universe of high quality fixed income securities that typically mature in one year or less from the date of settlement. The Portfolio may, however, take a large position in securities maturing within two years from the date of settlement when higher yields are available. The Portfolio purchases U.S. government obligations, U.S. government agency obligations, dollar-denominated obligations of foreign issuers issued in the U.S., securities of domestic, or foreign issuers denominated in U.S. dollars but not trading in the U.S., foreign government and agency obligations, bank obligations, including U.S. subsidiaries and branches of foreign banks, corporate obligations, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, obligations of supranational organizations … Show more… The VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by generally investing in a universe of high quality fixed income securities that typically mature in one year or less from the date of settlement. The Portfolio may, however, take a large position in securities maturing within two years from the date of settlement when higher yields are available. The Portfolio purchases U.S. government obligations, U.S. government agency obligations, dollar-denominated obligations of foreign issuers issued in the U.S., securities of domestic, or foreign issuers denominated in U.S. dollars but not trading in the U.S., foreign government and agency obligations, bank obligations, including U.S. subsidiaries and branches of foreign banks, corporate obligations, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, obligations of supranational organizations and affiliated and unaffiliated registered and unregistered money market funds. The fixed income securities in which the Portfolio invests are considered investment grade at the time of purchase (e.g., rated AAA to BBB- by S&P Global Ratings (S&P) or Fitch Ratings Ltd. (Fitch) or Aaa to Baa3 by Moodys Ratings (Moodys)). As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest at least 80% of its net assets in fixed income securities and maintain a weighted average effective maturity that will not exceed one year. The effective maturity adjusts the stated final maturity of a fixed income security for an actual or expected event such as a call, put, tender, mandatory early redemption, pre-refunding, coupon or interest rate reset, or other similar event. The Portfolio principally invests in certificates of deposit, commercial paper, bankers acceptances, notes and bonds. In addition, the Portfolio is authorized to invest more than 25% of its total assets in U.S. Treasury bonds, bills and notes, and obligations of federal agencies and instrumentalities. The VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio may purchase or sell futures contracts and options on futures contracts, to hedge its interest rate exposure or for non-hedging purposes, such as a substitute for direct investment or to increase or decrease market exposure based on actual or expected cash inflows to or outflows from the Portfolio. The VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to generate additional income. Show less