N-CSR 1 tm2132655d1_ncsr.htm N-CSR

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT

OF

REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number: 811-04098

 

Name of Registrant: Vanguard Chester Funds
Address of Registrant: P.O. Box 2600
  Valley Forge, PA 19482

 

Name and address of agent for service: Anne E. Robinson, Esquire
  P.O. Box 876
  Valley Forge, PA 19482

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (610) 669-1000

 

Date of fiscal year end: September 30

 

Date of reporting period: October 1, 2020—September 30, 2021

 

 

 

 

Item 1: Reports to Shareholders

 

 

 

 

Annual Report   |   September 30, 2021
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund

Contents
Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance

1
Advisor’s Report

2
About Your Fund’s Expenses

5
Performance Summary

7
Financial Statements

9
Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement

25
Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the front of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund returned 29.83% for Admiral Shares and 29.74% for Investor Shares for the 12 months ended September 30, 2021. Its benchmark, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, returned 30.00%.
The global economy rebounded faster than many had expected after the pandemic-induced contraction in the spring of 2020. Countries that have been more successful in containing the virus have generally fared better economically. Swift and extensive fiscal and monetary support from policymakers has also been key to the rebound. Stock returns were excellent for the year under review, reflecting the recovery following the sharp downturn at the start of the pandemic.
Value stocks outperformed their growth counterparts, and small-capitalization stocks outdistanced mid- and large-caps for the fiscal year.
In the bond markets, yields moved higher across much of the developed world amid concerns about inflation and the prospect of central banks scaling back their bond-buying programs or raising interest rates.
The fund’s holdings in the information technology sector contributed most to relative performance for the 12 months. Health care stocks detracted most.
Market Barometer
  Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
  One Year Three Years Five Years
Stocks      
Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps) 30.96% 16.43% 17.11%
Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps) 47.68 10.54 13.45
Russell 3000 Index (Broad U.S. market) 31.88 16.00 16.85
FTSE All-World ex US Index (International) 24.73 8.49 9.28
Bonds      
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(Broad taxable market)
-0.90% 5.36% 2.94%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
(Broad tax-exempt market)
2.63 5.06 3.26
FTSE Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index 0.06 1.14 1.13
CPI      
Consumer Price Index 5.39% 2.81% 2.59%
1

Advisor’s Report
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2021, Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund returned 29.83% for Admiral Shares and 29.74% for Investor Shares, in line with the 30.00% total return of its benchmark, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, but ahead of the 26.98% total return of its multi-capitalization growth fund competitors. Relative to the S&P 500 Index, favorable stock selection roughly offset unfavorable sector allocation during the period.
Investment environment
The fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, featured a steady rise in the equity markets alongside an uneven economic recovery. U.S. indexes continued their aggressive upswing—the S&P 500 Index doubled from its March 2020 low to its early September 2021 peak—as last year’s initial bounce, powered primarily by Big Tech and other pandemic beneficiaries, yielded to broader cyclical strength. Oil prices and interest rates rebounded, pushing the energy (+83%) and financial (+59%) sectors sharply higher, while COVID-19 “ground zero” industries such as airlines and cruise lines also outperformed. More defensive sectors, such as consumer staples (+11%) and utilities (+11%), lagged the market but still registered gains.
The improvement in underlying economic activity was less uniform. Following last winter’s alarming scourge, when the country largely retrenched amid several thousand daily COVID-19-related deaths, our springtime reopening signaled a robust economic renewal. More than
150 million Americans achieved “fully vaccinated” status by midyear, and daily deaths plummeted more than 90 percent. The Federal Reserve in June forecasted 7% real GDP growth for 2021, an annual growth rate not seen since 1984.
But the euphoria was short-lived. The highly transmissible Delta variant surfaced, creating yet another wave of infection. Meanwhile, abundant monetary and fiscal stimulus collided with fragile supply chains, inducing worrisome inflation. The recovery’s momentum thus stalled somewhat—the Fed now estimates less than 6% real GDP growth for 2021—and the equity market eventually ceded ground, sliding 5% in September.
Outlook for U.S. equities
Our view on U.S. equities overall remains conflicted. We continue to view them as relatively attractive compared with conventional alternatives. However, we still assess inflation as an underappreciated risk. Treasury yields doubled during the period (the 10-year Treasury yield increased from 0.7% to 1.5%) but remain historically low. The 10-year breakeven inflation rate, a market-based gauge of inflation expectations, finished the period higher than a year ago (2.4%, compared with 1.6%), but a mid-2% reading is hardly a distress signal. The market’s apparent complacency reflects the Fed’s characterization of inflation as a temporary phenomenon.
 
2

The market has thus managed to maintain its elevated valuation; the S&P 500 Index trades at 19.7 times price/earnings valuation on 2022 estimated earnings. This valuation metric has stabilized of late, not worsened, with index advances largely mirroring upward revisions to estimated earnings. But absolute valuation levels are historically expensive. Coupled with stubbornly high inflation readings, this dynamic necessarily tempers our outlook.
Portfolio update
The portfolio maintained its substantial overweight positions in health care and industrial stocks; these sectors made up 40% of average assets, compared with their 22% combined weighting in the S&P 500 Index. The portfolio was modestly overweighted in information technology (28% of average assets versus 27% for the index) and consumer discretionary (13% versus 12%), and underweighted in financials (7% versus 11%) and communication services (7% versus 11%). The fund maintained limited exposure to all other sectors, including consumer staples, energy, materials, real estate, and utilities.
Sector allocation was unfavorable during the period. The fund’s overweight to health care (+23% index return) and underweight positions in energy (+83%) and financials (+59%) detracted from results.
Strong stock selection provided an offset, particularly in information technology and financials. Within information technology, outperformance from some
semiconductor holdings—KLA (+75%), Micron (+53%), and Texas Instruments (+38%)—complemented limited exposure to heavyweight Apple (+23%), which lagged the market after more than doubling last year. Within financials, Charles Schwab (+100%) and Wells Fargo (+100%) soared as beneficiaries of both cyclical strength and higher interest rates.
Selection elsewhere was more mixed. Within health care, Eli Lilly (+59%) was unable to offset multiple biopharmaceutical laggards, most notably Amgen (–15%), Novartis (–4%), and Biogen (flat). And in consumer discretionary, a large position in Tesla (+81%, most of which pre-dated its December inclusion in the S&P 500 Index) and a sizable underweight in Amazon (+1%) only partially offset a dramatic decline in Alibaba (–50%), which suffered under increased Chinese regulatory scrutiny.
As of September 30, 2021, the fund’s top 10 holdings made up 35% of assets.
Advisor perspectives
Health care is our second-largest sector weighting and, by a wide margin, our largest overweight position; the fund’s exposure eclipses the benchmark’s average weighting (13%) by 12 percentage points. This positioning proved detrimental during the period, as the sector was unable to keep pace with the market’s vigorous ascent. But we remain confident in our holdings’ long-term opportunities.
3

When the pandemic unfolded, the U.S. government response was to dig proverbial trenches and, from its foxhole, blindly launch a monetary and fiscal bazooka. This lockdown-heavy reaction surprised us, but perhaps should not have—the same self-preservation instinct underlies the inherent value in better medical outcomes. It also informs our attraction to the biopharmaceutical industry, where innovative drugs and therapies can create immense value. Indeed, in our opinion this common COVID-19 response strategy was destined to fail absent the biopharmaceutical industry (and modern medicine more generally) providing a viable exit path.
We thus hoped the pandemic would highlight the health care sector’s unsung significance—in sharp contrast to its usual position in political and regulatory crosshairs. But even miraculous vaccines and ongoing therapy breakthroughs have been unable to salvage health care’s reputation. The sector is among the least expensive, trading at a quite reasonable 16.4 times 2022 price/earnings at period-end—a nearly 20% discount to the market (19.7 times) and well below its defensive peers, consumer staples (19.4 times) and utilities (18.4 times).
Within this less-favorable context, our own health care portfolio suffered numerous stock-specific setbacks, most notably Biogen’s relapse. One of our largest holdings, Biogen’s stock spiked 38% on June 7, when the FDA granted Aduhelm accelerated approval for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. By
period-end, Biogen had squandered its gain, a function of the drug’s disastrous launch amid intense market skepticism.
As with Biogen, we continue to own companies, in health care and elsewhere, that are controversial or unloved. These stocks often feature outsized risks (including binary clinical trial outcomes), unusually opaque futures, and well-worn Wall Street opposition. We do not pursue volatility or opacity or hostility per se; rather, we seek mismatches between current share prices and our assessments of long-term value, and we tend to find these dislocations in such fraught environments.
Conclusion
COVID-19’s unwelcome impact has been more devastating and lasting than we first contemplated. And yet the core of our original conviction has been sustained: Normalcy will ultimately return. The contours of society have no doubt forever shifted, but society’s underlying structure and purpose—our collective humanity—endure. As COVID-19 transitions from pandemic to endemic, we believe that collective humanity, briefly obscured by both virus and fiat, will flourish once more. Our portfolio continues to be positioned for this eventuality.
PRIMECAP Management Company
October 15, 2021
4

About Your Fund’s Expenses
As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.
A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. This figure is known as the expense ratio. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period.
The accompanying table illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:
Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The ”Ending Account Value“ shown is derived from the fund‘s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.
To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading ”Expenses Paid During Period.“
Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund‘s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
Note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only and do not reflect transaction costs incurred by the fund for buying and selling securities. Further, the expenses do not include any purchase, redemption, or account service fees described in the fund prospectus. If such fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”
The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.
You can find more information about the fund’s expenses, including annual expense ratios, in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to your fund’s current prospectus.
5

Six Months Ended September 30, 2021      
  Beginning
Account Value
3/31/2021
Ending
Account Value
9/30/2021
Expenses
Paid During
Period
Based on Actual Fund Return      
PRIMECAP Fund      
Investor Shares $1,000.00 $1,032.60 $1.94
Admiral™ Shares 1,000.00 1,033.00 1.58
Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return      
PRIMECAP Fund      
Investor Shares $1,000.00 $1,023.16 $1.93
Admiral Shares 1,000.00 1,023.51 1.57
The calculations are based on expenses incurred in the most recent six-month period. The fund’s annualized six-month expense ratios for that period are 0.38% for Investor Shares and 0.31% for Admiral Shares. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period (183/365).
6

PRIMECAP Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
    Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
 
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares 29.74% 17.24% 17.88% $51,803
 S&P 500 Index 30.00 16.90 16.63 46,586
 Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float
Adjusted Index
32.13 16.82 16.56 46,280
       
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $50,000
Investment
PRIMECAP Fund Admiral Shares 29.83% 17.32% 17.97% $260,996
S&P 500 Index 30.00 16.90 16.63 232,931
Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float
Adjusted Index
32.13 16.82 16.56 231,402
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
7

PRIMECAP Fund
Fund Allocation
As of September 30, 2021
Communication Services 7.0%
Consumer Discretionary 13.2
Consumer Staples 0.2
Energy 1.4
Financials 8.7
Health Care 25.0
Industrials 14.0
Information Technology 29.3
Materials 1.2
Real Estate 0.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments. Sector categories are based on the Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”), except for the “Other” category (if applicable), which includes securities that have not been provided a GICS classification as of the effective reporting period.
Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”) was developed by and is the exclusive property and a service mark of MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”) and Standard and Poor’s, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”), and is licensed for use by Vanguard. Neither MSCI, S&P nor any third party involved in making or compiling the GICS or any GICS classification makes any express or implied warranties or representations with respect to such standard or classification (or the results to be obtained by the use thereof), and all such parties hereby expressly disclaim all warranties of originality, accuracy, completeness, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to any such standard or classification. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall MSCI, S&P, any of its affiliates or any third party involved in making or compiling the GICS or any GICS classification have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
8

PRIMECAP Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
    Shares Market
Value

($000)
Common Stocks (97.7%)
Communication Services (6.9%)
* Alphabet Inc. Class A    715,637  1,913,270
* Alphabet Inc. Class C    390,661  1,041,233
* Baidu Inc. ADR  5,366,078    825,035
* Walt Disney Co.  2,877,425    486,774
  Activision Blizzard Inc.  3,884,000    300,583
* Facebook Inc. Class A    531,050    180,233
* Charter Communications Inc. Class A    202,300    147,185
* Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.    333,500     51,382
* Live Nation Entertainment Inc.    550,340     50,152
* T-Mobile U.S. Inc.    360,800     46,096
  Comcast Corp. Class A    412,369     23,064
* Altice USA Inc. Class A  1,068,500     22,139
  Nintendo Co. Ltd.      1,750        836
  Electronic Arts Inc.      5,700        811
       5,088,793
Consumer Discretionary (12.9%)
* Tesla Inc.  2,404,700  1,864,797
1 Sony Group Corp. ADR 14,912,157  1,648,986
* Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. ADR  9,597,317  1,420,883
  Ross Stores Inc.  7,941,200    864,400
* Amazon.com Inc.    256,480    842,547
  Whirlpool Corp.  3,002,832    612,157
  TJX Cos. Inc.  8,624,500    569,045
*,2 Mattel Inc. 27,518,338    510,740
  Bath & Body Works Inc.  3,562,414    224,539
* Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.  1,806,947    160,728
* Carnival Corp.  6,154,065    153,913
  eBay Inc.  1,320,000     91,964
* Marriott International Inc. Class A    556,710     82,443
* Burlington Stores Inc.    248,000     70,325
* Victoria's Secret & Co.  1,187,471     65,620
* Dollar Tree Inc.    637,000     60,974
* Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.    423,766     55,984
  Restaurant Brands International Inc.    808,900     49,497
  McDonald's Corp.    191,800     46,245
  Lowe's Cos. Inc.    220,000     44,629
* Las Vegas Sands Corp.    712,300     26,070
  MGM Resorts International    553,400     23,879
    Shares Market
Value

($000)
* Ulta Beauty Inc.     21,000      7,579
* O'Reilly Automotive Inc.     11,000      6,722
* AutoZone Inc.      2,750      4,669
       9,509,335
Consumer Staples (0.2%)
  Sysco Corp.  1,371,300    107,647
  Altria Group Inc.    621,700     28,300
  Mowi ASA    418,000     10,606
  Constellation Brands Inc. Class A     25,700      5,415
  Philip Morris International Inc.     43,300      4,104
         156,072
Energy (1.4%)
  Hess Corp.  6,033,900    471,308
  Pioneer Natural Resources Co.  2,092,700    348,455
  EOG Resources Inc.  1,781,200    142,977
*,1 Transocean Ltd. 11,863,773     44,964
  Schlumberger NV     75,200      2,229
       1,009,933
Financials (8.5%)
  Wells Fargo & Co. 29,880,027  1,386,732
  Charles Schwab Corp. 16,835,216  1,226,277
  JPMorgan Chase & Co.  7,309,275  1,196,455
  Bank of America Corp. 21,111,032    896,163
  Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.  4,844,515    733,605
  U.S. Bancorp  3,592,300    213,526
  Raymond James Financial Inc.  2,257,965    208,365
  Citigroup Inc.  2,047,300    143,680
  Progressive Corp.    924,000     83,520
  CME Group Inc.    375,168     72,550
  Morgan Stanley    625,000     60,819
  Goldman Sachs Group Inc.    152,000     57,461
  Discover Financial Services    182,525     22,423
       6,301,576
Health Care (24.4%)
  Eli Lilly & Co. 18,347,208  4,239,122
*,2 Biogen Inc.  9,169,553  2,594,892
  Amgen Inc.  9,506,255  2,021,505
  AstraZeneca plc ADR 26,685,968  1,602,759
  Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.  2,485,129  1,419,829
* Boston Scientific Corp. 28,110,044  1,219,695
9

PRIMECAP Fund
    Shares Market
Value

($000)
  Novartis AG ADR 11,382,725    930,879
  Roche Holding AG  1,761,013    642,717
  Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.  8,796,513    520,490
* BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.  6,200,439    479,232
* Elanco Animal Health Inc. (XNYS) 13,943,419    444,656
* BeiGene Ltd. ADR  1,143,340    415,032
  Abbott Laboratories  3,023,095    357,118
  Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc.  1,865,030    272,966
  CVS Health Corp.  2,410,000    204,513
  Agilent Technologies Inc.    822,516    129,571
* IQVIA Holdings Inc.    442,224    105,930
  Stryker Corp.    389,200    102,640
  Medtronic plc    735,000     92,132
* Edwards Lifesciences Corp.    492,100     55,711
3 Siemens Healthineers AG    851,517     55,226
  Sanofi ADR    969,000     46,715
  Alcon Inc.    433,987     34,923
  GlaxoSmithKline plc ADR    548,000     20,939
  Danaher Corp.     54,452     16,577
* Waters Corp.     27,030      9,658
  Humana Inc.     19,776      7,696
  UnitedHealth Group Inc.      5,735      2,241
      18,045,364
Industrials (13.7%)
  FedEx Corp.  8,988,058  1,970,991
* Southwest Airlines Co. 27,252,878  1,401,615
  Siemens AG (Registered)  8,547,564  1,397,963
* Airbus SE  4,844,239    642,229
* United Airlines Holdings Inc. 13,081,203    622,273
  Union Pacific Corp.  2,606,600    510,920
  Caterpillar Inc.  2,616,968    502,379
* American Airlines Group Inc. 21,210,513    435,240
* Delta Air Lines Inc.  9,483,900    404,109
  United Parcel Service Inc. Class B  1,952,970    355,636
  Textron Inc.  3,708,000    258,855
* Alaska Air Group Inc.  4,246,500    248,845
* TransDigm Group Inc.    343,916    214,800
  Carrier Global Corp.  3,261,300    168,805
  Deere & Co.    400,000    134,028
* Lyft Inc. Class A  2,149,970    115,217
  Otis Worldwide Corp.  1,334,100    109,770
  General Dynamics Corp.    549,330    107,685
  AMETEK Inc.    864,750    107,238
  CSX Corp.  3,417,000    101,621
  Raytheon Technologies Corp.    720,000     61,891
  Rockwell Automation Inc.    177,000     52,045
  Honeywell International Inc.    240,000     50,947
  L3Harris Technologies Inc.    227,800     50,171
  Pentair plc    586,000     42,561
  nVent Electric plc    887,900     28,706
* Ryanair Holdings plc ADR    250,000     27,515
    Shares Market
Value

($000)
* Uber Technologies Inc.     27,450      1,230
      10,125,285
Information Technology (28.6%)
  Microsoft Corp. 11,421,468  3,219,940
* Adobe Inc.  4,996,957  2,876,848
  Texas Instruments Inc. 12,703,192  2,441,681
  Micron Technology Inc. 25,959,974  1,842,639
  KLA Corp.  4,477,240  1,497,682
  Intel Corp. 21,885,787  1,166,075
  NetApp Inc.  9,363,871    840,501
  Intuit Inc.  1,452,700    783,746
1 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson ADR 62,505,426    700,061
  NVIDIA Corp.  2,877,560    596,115
  Oracle Corp.  6,639,900    578,534
  QUALCOMM Inc.  4,273,586    551,207
  Analog Devices Inc.  2,755,160    461,434
  Visa Inc. Class A  1,931,100    430,153
  Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. 30,173,716    429,975
  HP Inc. 15,172,426    415,118
* PayPal Holdings Inc.  1,233,470    320,961
  Cisco Systems Inc.  5,158,679    280,787
  Apple Inc.  1,850,000    261,775
  Entegris Inc.  2,021,822    254,547
* Splunk Inc.  1,387,501    200,785
  Applied Materials Inc.  1,452,300    186,955
  Corning Inc.  4,253,500    155,210
* Autodesk Inc.    464,200    132,376
*,1 BlackBerry Ltd.  9,975,500     97,062
*,2 Plantronics Inc.  3,645,100     93,716
  Mastercard Inc. Class A    211,600     73,569
  Fidelity National Information Services Inc.    550,000     66,924
* Palo Alto Networks Inc.    112,700     53,983
* Western Digital Corp.    695,000     39,226
* Keysight Technologies Inc.    233,000     38,280
* RingCentral Inc. Class A    133,950     29,134
* Dell Technologies Class C    276,000     28,715
* salesforce.com Inc.    100,400     27,230
  Infineon Technologies AG ADR     75,000      3,085
* Okta Inc.      3,500        831
* Arista Networks Inc.      1,000        344
      21,177,204
Materials (1.1%)
  Albemarle Corp.  1,220,235    267,195
  Glencore plc 31,604,371    148,670
  DuPont de Nemours Inc.  1,384,056     94,102
  Dow Inc.  1,610,217     92,684
  Freeport-McMoRan Inc.  2,764,900     89,942
  Linde plc    277,200     81,325
  Corteva Inc.  1,331,916     56,047
         829,965
Real Estate (0.0%)
  Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.     25,000      4,777
Total Common Stocks (Cost $25,325,190) 72,248,304
 
10

PRIMECAP Fund
    Shares Market
Value

($000)
Temporary Cash Investments (2.4%)
Money Market Fund (2.4%)
4,5 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost$1,726,129) 17,262,566           1,726,256
Total Investments (100.1%) (Cost $27,051,319) 73,974,560
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.1%) (37,233)
Net Assets (100%) 73,937,327
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
* Non-income-producing security.
1 Includes partial security positions on loan to broker-dealers. The total value of securities on loan is $92,262,000.
2 Considered an affiliated company of the fund as the fund owns more than 5% of the outstanding voting securities of such company.
3 Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. Such securities may be sold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. At September 30, 2021, the aggregate value was $55,226,000, representing 0.1% of net assets.
4 Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.
5 Collateral of $95,542,000 was received for securities on loan, of which $95,066,000 is held in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund and $476,000 is held in cash.
  ADR—American Depositary Receipt.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
11

PRIMECAP Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value  
Unaffiliated Issuers (Cost $24,528,161) 69,048,956
Affiliated Issuers (Cost $2,523,158) 4,925,604
Total Investments in Securities 73,974,560
Investment in Vanguard 2,575
Cash 476
Foreign Currency, at Value (Cost $0) 51
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 126,854
Receivables for Accrued Income 85,163
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 13,554
Total Assets 74,203,233
Liabilities  
Due to Custodian 94,684
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 12,777
Collateral for Securities on Loan 95,542
Payables to Investment Advisor 34,169
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 24,494
Payables to Vanguard 4,240
Total Liabilities 265,906
Net Assets 73,937,327
At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:  
   
Paid-in Capital 20,623,435
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 53,313,892
Net Assets 73,937,327
 
Investor Shares—Net Assets  
Applicable to 34,841,714 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
5,878,428
Net Asset Value Per Share—Investor Shares $168.72
 
Admiral Shares—Net Assets  
Applicable to 389,093,797 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
68,058,899
Net Asset Value Per Share—Admiral Shares $174.92
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
12

PRIMECAP Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers1 765,261
Dividends—Affiliated Issuers 39,777
Interest—Affiliated Issuers 1,041
Securities Lending—Net 1,597
Total Income 807,676
Expenses  
Investment Advisory Fees—Note B 130,617
The Vanguard Group—Note C  
Management and Administrative—Investor Shares 12,121
Management and Administrative—Admiral Shares 82,108
Marketing and Distribution—Investor Shares 371
Marketing and Distribution—Admiral Shares 1,625
Custodian Fees 3,034
Auditing Fees 32
Shareholders’ Reports—Investor Shares 40
Shareholders’ Reports—Admiral Shares 135
Trustees’ Fees and Expenses 52
Total Expenses 230,135
Net Investment Income 577,541
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Investment Securities Sold—Unaffiliated Issuers 6,822,136
Investment Securities Sold—Affiliated Issuers 440,815
Foreign Currencies (159)
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 7,262,792
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Investment Securities—Unaffiliated Issuers 9,463,440
Investment Securities—Affiliated Issuers 928,633
Foreign Currencies (263)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 10,391,810
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 18,232,143
1 Dividends are net of foreign withholding taxes of $20,434,000.
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
13

PRIMECAP Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
     
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 577,541 875,564
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 7,262,792 5,074,768
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 10,391,810 2,803,462
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 18,232,143 8,753,794
Distributions    
Investor Shares (551,613) (444,045)
Admiral Shares (5,760,196) (4,239,627)
Total Distributions (6,311,809) (4,683,672)
Capital Share Transactions    
Investor Shares (897,885) (803,660)
Admiral Shares (1,408,182) (2,214,671)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (2,306,067) (3,018,331)
Total Increase (Decrease) 9,614,267 1,051,791
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 64,323,060 63,271,269
End of Period 73,937,327 64,323,060
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
14

PRIMECAP Fund
Financial Highlights
Investor Shares          
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period 
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $142.86 $133.12 $147.61 $126.84 $107.60
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 1.183 1.745 1.715 1.474 1.398
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 39.134 17.947 (6.495) 26.529 23.145
Total from Investment Operations 40.317 19.692 (4.780) 28.003 24.543
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (1.542) (1.690) (1.470) (1.400) (1.356)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (12.915) (8.262) (8.240) (5.833) (3.947)
Total Distributions (14.457) (9.952) (9.710) (7.233) (5.303)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $168.72 $142.86 $133.12 $147.61 $126.84
Total Return2 29.74% 15.05% -2.41% 22.86% 23.75%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $5,878 $5,697 $6,095 $7,126 $7,699
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.39%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 0.73% 1.31% 1.32% 1.08% 1.22%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 6% 5% 8% 8%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
15

PRIMECAP Fund
Financial Highlights
Admiral Shares          
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period 
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $148.12 $138.02 $153.09 $131.45 $111.52
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 1.345 1.920 1.880 1.622 1.528
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 40.564 18.600 (6.756) 27.508 23.981
Total from Investment Operations 41.909 20.520 (4.876) 29.130 25.509
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (1.716) (1.853) (1.647) (1.444) (1.491)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (13.393) (8.567) (8.547) (6.046) (4.088)
Total Distributions (15.109) (10.420) (10.194) (7.490) (5.579)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $174.92 $148.12 $138.02 $153.09 $131.45
Total Return2 29.83% 15.13% -2.34% 22.95% 23.83%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $68,059 $58,626 $57,177 $62,361 $50,615
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets 0.31% 0.31% 0.31% 0.31% 0.32%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 0.80% 1.39% 1.39% 1.15% 1.29%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 6% 5% 8% 8%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
16

PRIMECAP Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund offers two classes of shares: Investor Shares and Admiral Shares. Each of the share classes has different eligibility and minimum purchase requirements, and is designed for different types of investors.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date. Equity securities are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from the primary market in which each security trades; such securities not traded on the valuation date are valued at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available, or whose values have been affected by events occurring before the fund’s pricing time but after the close of the securities’ primary markets, are valued at their fair values calculated according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. These procedures include obtaining quotations from an independent pricing service, monitoring news to identify significant market- or security-specific events, and evaluating changes in the values of foreign market proxies (for example, ADRs, futures contracts, or exchange-traded funds), between the time the foreign markets close and the fund’s pricing time. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate its net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Investments in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund are valued at that fund's net asset value.
2. Foreign Currency: Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates obtained from an independent third party as of the fund’s pricing time on the valuation date. Realized gains (losses) and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment securities include the effects of changes in exchange rates since the securities were purchased, combined with the effects of changes in security prices. Fluctuations in the value of other assets and liabilities resulting from changes in exchange rates are recorded as unrealized foreign currency gains (losses) until the assets or liabilities are settled in cash, at which time they are recorded as realized foreign currency gains (losses).
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
17

PRIMECAP Fund
5. Securities Lending: To earn additional income, the fund lends its securities to qualified institutional borrowers. Security loans are subject to termination by the fund at any time, and are required to be secured at all times by collateral in an amount at least equal to the market value of securities loaned. Daily market fluctuations could cause the value of loaned securities to be more or less than the value of the collateral received. When this occurs, the collateral is adjusted and settled before the opening of the market on the next business day. The fund further mitigates its counterparty risk by entering into securities lending transactions only with a diverse group of prequalified counterparties, monitoring their financial strength, and entering into master securities lending agreements with its counterparties. The master securities lending agreements provide that, in the event of a counterparty’s default (including bankruptcy), the fund may terminate any loans with that borrower, determine the net amount owed, and sell or retain the collateral up to the net amount owed to the fund; however, such actions may be subject to legal proceedings. While collateral mitigates counterparty risk, in the event of a default, the fund may experience delays and costs in recovering the securities loaned. The fund invests cash collateral received in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, and records a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the return of the collateral, during the period the securities are on loan. Collateral investments in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund are subject to market appreciation or depreciation. Securities lending income represents fees charged to borrowers plus income earned on invested cash collateral, less expenses associated with the loan. During the term of the loan, the fund is entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities.
6. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and included in Management and Administrative expenses on the fund’s Statement of Operations. Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternate rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
18

PRIMECAP Fund
7. Other: Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Non-cash dividends included in income, if any, are recorded at the fair value of the securities received. Interest income includes income distributions received from Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund and is accrued daily. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
Each class of shares has equal rights as to assets and earnings, except that each class separately bears certain class-specific expenses related to maintenance of shareholder accounts (included in Management and Administrative expenses) and shareholder reporting. Marketing and distribution expenses are allocated to each class of shares based on a method approved by the board of trustees. Income, other non-class-specific expenses, and gains and losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares based on its relative net assets.
B. PRIMECAP Management Company provides investment advisory services to the fund for a fee calculated at an annual percentage rate of average net assets. For the year ended September 30, 2021, the investment advisory fee represented an effective annual basic rate of 0.18% of the fund’s average net assets.
C. In accordance with the terms of a Funds' Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees and are generally settled twice a month.
Upon the request of Vanguard, the fund may invest up to 0.40% of its net assets as capital in Vanguard. At September 30, 2021, the fund had contributed to Vanguard capital in the amount of $2,575,000, representing less than 0.01% of the fund’s net assets and 1.03% of Vanguard’s capital received pursuant to the FSA. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
D. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
19

PRIMECAP Fund
The following table summarizes the market value of the fund’s investments as of September 30, 2021, based on the inputs used to value them:
  Level 1
($000)
Level 2
($000)
Level 3
($000)
Total
($000)
Investments        
Assets        
Common Stocks 69,305,093 2,943,211 72,248,304
Temporary Cash Investments 1,726,256 1,726,256
Total 71,031,349 2,943,211 73,974,560
E. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for foreign currency transactions and distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 362,813
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (362,813)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 693,161
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 5,698,772
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 46,921,959
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 722,975 925,147
Long-Term Capital Gains 5,588,834 3,758,525
Total 6,311,809 4,683,672
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
20

PRIMECAP Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 27,053,643
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 48,536,889
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (1,615,972)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 46,920,917
F. During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund purchased $3,535,472,000 of investment securities and sold $12,169,053,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.
G. Capital share transactions for each class of shares were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021   2020
  Amount
($000)
Shares
(000)
  Amount
($000)
Shares
(000)
Investor Shares          
Issued 348,874 2,168   547,781 4,262
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 536,328 3,657   432,110 3,129
Redeemed (1,783,087) (10,861)   (1,783,551) (13,296)
Net Increase (Decrease)—Investor Shares (897,885) (5,036)   (803,660) (5,905)
Admiral Shares          
Issued 3,667,358 21,693   2,426,834 17,481
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 5,395,981 35,507   3,984,207 27,842
Redeemed (10,471,521) (63,912)   (8,625,712) (63,781)
Net Increase (Decrease)—Admiral Shares (1,408,182) (6,712)   (2,214,671) (18,458)
21

PRIMECAP Fund
H. Certain of the fund’s investments are in companies that are considered to be affiliated companies of the fund because the fund owns more than 5% of the outstanding voting securities of the company or the issuer is another member of The Vanguard Group. Transactions during the period in securities of these companies were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30,
2020
Market
Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net
Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30,
2021
Market
Value
($000)
Biogen Inc. 2,586,564 77,760 79,078 15,802 (6,156) 2,594,892
Mattel Inc. 314,153 12,815 3,025 (111) 186,908 510,740
NetApp Inc. 554,573 249,140 124,930 410,138 22,401 NA1
Plantronics Inc. 43,480 342 (810) 51,388 93,716
Southwest Airlines Co. 1,283,631 383,072 255,800 245,256 NA1
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 1,421,884 NA2 NA2 65 (273) 1,041 1,726,256
Whirlpool Corp. 727,169 1,888 203,411 45,139 41,372 17,376 NA1
Total 6,931,454     440,815 928,633 40,818 4,925,604
1 Not applicable—at September 30, 2021, the security was still held, but the issuer was no longer an affiliated company of the fund.
2 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
I. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
22

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Chester Funds and Shareholders of Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund (one of the funds constituting Vanguard Chester Funds, referred to hereafter as the "Fund") as of September 30, 2021, the related statement of operations for the year ended September 30, 2021, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of September 30, 2021, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021 and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of September 30, 2021 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from the transfer agent or brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 19, 2021
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Vanguard Group of Funds since 1975.
23


Special 2021 tax information (unaudited) for Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund
This information for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, is included pursuant to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
The fund distributed $5,921,941,000 as capital gain dividends (20% rate gain distributions) to shareholders during the fiscal year.
For nonresident alien shareholders, 100% of short-term capital gain dividends distributed by the fund are qualified short-term capital gains.
The fund distributed $722,975,000 of qualified dividend income to shareholders during the fiscal year.
For corporate shareholders, 71.6% of investment income (dividend income plus short-term gains, if any) qualifies for the dividends-received deduction.
24

Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement
The board of trustees of Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund has renewed the fund’s investment advisory arrangement with PRIMECAP Management Company (PRIMECAP). The board determined that renewing the fund’s advisory arrangement was in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.
The board based its decision upon an evaluation of the advisor’s investment staff, portfolio management process, and performance. This evaluation included information provided to the board by Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department, which is responsible for fund and advisor oversight and product management. The Portfolio Review Department met regularly with the advisor and made monthly presentations to the board during the fiscal year that directed the board’s focus to relevant information and topics.
The board, or an investment committee made up of board members, also received information throughout the year during advisor presentations. For each advisor presentation, the board was provided with letters and reports that included information about, among other things, the advisory firm and the advisor’s assessment of the investment environment, portfolio performance, and portfolio characteristics.
In addition, the board received periodic reports throughout the year, which included information about the fund’s performance relative to its peers and benchmark, as applicable, and updates, as needed, on the Portfolio Review Department’s ongoing assessment of the advisor.
Prior to their meeting, the trustees were provided with a memo and material that summarized the information they received over the course of the year. They also considered the factors discussed below, among others. However, no single factor determined whether the board approved the arrangement. Rather, it was the totality of the circumstances that drove the board’s decision.
Nature, extent, and quality of services
The board reviewed the quality of the fund’s investment management services over both the short and long term, and took into account the organizational depth and stability of the advisor. The board considered that PRIMECAP, founded in 1983, is recognized for its long-term approach to growth equity investing. Five experienced portfolio managers are responsible for separate subportfolios, and each portfolio manager employs a fundamental, research-driven approach in seeking to identify companies with long-term growth potential that the market has yet to appreciate. The multi-counselor approach employed by PRIMECAP is designed to emphasize individual decision-making and enable the portfolio managers to invest in their highest-conviction ideas. The advisor’s fundamental research focuses on developing opinions independent from Wall Street’s consensus and maintaining a long-term horizon. PRIMECAP has managed the fund since its inception in 1984.
The board concluded that the advisor’s experience, stability, depth, and performance, among other factors, warranted continuation of the advisory arrangement.
25

Investment performance
The board considered the short- and long-term performance of the fund, including any periods of outperformance or underperformance compared with a relevant benchmark index and peer group. The board concluded that the performance was such that the advisory arrangement should continue.
Cost
The board concluded that the fund’s expense ratio was well below the average expense ratio charged by funds in its peer group and that the fund’s advisory fee rate was also well below the peer-group average.
The board did not consider the profitability of PRIMECAP in determining whether to approve the advisory fee, because PRIMECAP is independent of Vanguard and the advisory fee is the result of arm’s-length negotiations.
The benefit of economies of scale
The board concluded that the fund’s shareholders benefit from economies of scale because of breakpoints in the fund’s advisory fee schedule. The breakpoints reduce the effective rate of the fee as the fund’s assets increase.
The board will consider whether to renew the advisory arrangement again after a one-year period.
26

The People Who Govern Your Fund
The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them.
A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals. The independent board members have distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service. Each of the trustees and executive officers oversees 212 Vanguard funds.
Information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund appears below. That information, as well as the Vanguard fund count, is as of the date on the cover of this fund report. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482. More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained, without charge, by contacting Vanguard at 800-662-7447, or online at vanguard.com.
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley
Born in 1969. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood
Born in 1948. Trustee since January 2008. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin
America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.
Amy Gutmann
Born in 1949. Trustee since June 2006. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
F. Joseph Loughrey
Born in 1949. Trustee since October 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation.
 
1  Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, because he is an officer of the Vanguard funds.

Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.
Mark Loughridge
Born in 1953. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.
Scott C. Malpass
Born in 1962. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chief investment officer (retired June 2020) and vice president (retired June 2020) of the University of Notre Dame. Assistant professor (retired June 2020) of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.
Deanna Mulligan
Born in 1963. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
André F. Perold
Born in 1952. Trustee since December 2004. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies (private investment firm). Member of the board
(2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm). Member of the investment committee of Partners Health Care System.
Sarah Bloom Raskin
Born in 1961. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Professor (2020–present), Distinguished Fellow of the Global Financial Markets Center (2020–present), and Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) at Duke University. Trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present). Member of the Regenerative Crisis Response Committee (2020–present).
David A. Thomas
Born in 1956. Trustee since July 2021. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president of Morehouse College (2018–present). Professor of business administration, emeritus at Harvard University (2017–2018). Dean (2011–2016) and professor of management (2016–2017) at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Director of DTE Energy Company (2013–present). Trustee of Common Fund (2019–present).
Peter F. Volanakis
Born in 1955. Trustee since July 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.

Executive Officers
John Bendl
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
Christine M. Buchanan
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
David Cermak
Born in 1960. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.
John Galloway
Born in 1973. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy assistant to the President of the United States (2015).
Peter Mahoney
Born in 1974. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008–2014) at Vanguard.
Anne E. Robinson
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: general counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.
Michael Rollings
Born in 1963. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.
John E. Schadl
Born in 1972. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
Vanguard Senior Management Team
Matthew Benchener Thomas M. Rampulla
Joseph Brennan Karin A. Risi
Mortimer J. Buckley Anne E. Robinson
Gregory Davis Michael Rollings
John James Nitin Tandon
John T. Marcante Lauren Valente
Chris D. Mclsaac  

Connect with Vanguard®>vanguard.com
Fund Information > 800-662-7447
Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739
Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036
Text Telephone for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing > 800-749-7273
This material may be used in conjunction with the offering of shares of any Vanguard fund only if preceded or accompanied by the fund’s current prospectus.
All comparative mutual fund data are from Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.
You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting guidelines by visiting vanguard.com/proxyreporting or by calling Vanguard at 800-662-2739. The guidelines are also available from the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30. To get the report, visit either vanguard.com/proxyreporting or www.sec.gov.
You can review information about your fund on the SEC’s website, and you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a request via email addressed to publicinfo@sec.gov.
Source for Bloomberg indexes: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. Copyright 2021, Bloomberg. All rights reserved.
© 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.
Q590 112021

 

 

Annual Report  |  September 30, 2021
Vanguard Target Retirement Funds
Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund

Contents
Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the front of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2021, returns for the six Vanguard Target Retirement Funds covered in this report ranged from 8.48% for the Target Retirement Income Fund to 20.60% for the Target Retirement 2035 Fund. (The funds with target dates of 2040 through 2065 are covered in a separate report).
The global economy rebounded faster than many had expected after the sharp pandemic-induced contraction in the spring of 2020. Stock returns were strong and bond yields moved broadly higher.
Vanguard Target Retirement Funds are designed to reach an allocation of 70% bonds and 30% stocks within seven years after their target dates. The funds invest all of their assets in Vanguard index funds that seek to match the performance of broad stock and bond market indexes.
For the 10 years ended September 30, the funds’ average annual returns ranged from 6.08% for the Target Retirement Income Fund to 11.54% for the Target Retirement 2035 Fund.
In late September, Vanguard announced plans to merge each of the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds into its corresponding Target Retirement Fund. The mergers are scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market Barometer
  Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
  One Year Three Years Five Years
Stocks      
Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps) 30.96% 16.43% 17.11%
Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps) 47.68 10.54 13.45
Russell 3000 Index (Broad U.S. market) 31.88 16.00 16.85
FTSE All-World ex US Index (International) 24.73 8.49 9.28
Bonds      
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(Broad taxable market)
-0.90% 5.36% 2.94%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
(Broad tax-exempt market)
2.63 5.06 3.26
FTSE Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index 0.06 1.14 1.13
CPI      
Consumer Price Index 5.39% 2.81% 2.59%
1

About Your Fund’s Expenses
As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.
A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Target Retirement Fund.
The accompanying table illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:
Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The ”Ending Account Value“ shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.
To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading ”Expenses Paid During Period.“
Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund‘s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
Note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only. Further, the expenses do not include any purchase, redemption, or account service fees described in the fund prospectus. If such fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”
The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.
You can find more information about the fund’s expenses in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to your fund’s current prospectus.
2

Six Months Ended September 30, 2021      
  Beginning
Account Value
3/31/2021
Ending
Account Value
9/30/2021
Expenses
Paid During
Period
Based on Actual Fund Return      
Target Retirement Income Fund $1,000.00 $1,030.90 $0.61
Target Retirement 2015 Fund $1,000.00 $1,032.30 $0.61
Target Retirement 2020 Fund $1,000.00 $1,037.70 $0.66
Target Retirement 2025 Fund $1,000.00 $1,041.00 $0.67
Target Retirement 2030 Fund $1,000.00 $1,044.30 $0.67
Target Retirement 2035 Fund $1,000.00 $1,047.30 $0.72
Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return      
Target Retirement Income Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.47 $0.61
Target Retirement 2015 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.47 $0.61
Target Retirement 2020 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.42 $0.66
Target Retirement 2025 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.42 $0.66
Target Retirement 2030 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.42 $0.66
Target Retirement 2035 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.37 $0.71
The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The underlying funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.12%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.13%, 0.13%, and 0.14%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized average weighted expense ratio for the underlying funds multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period (183/365).
3

Target Retirement Income Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement Income Fund 8.48% 6.22% 6.08% $18,042
 Target Income Composite Index 8.71 6.49 6.30 18,416
 Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index -0.90 2.94 3.01 13,455
Target Income Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, as well as the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities Index through June 2, 2013, and the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index thereafter; for short-term reserves, the Citigroup Three-Month Treasury Bill Index through June 2, 2013; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
4

Target Retirement Income Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 37.4%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 17.3
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares 17.1
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 16.1
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 11.9
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.2
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
5

Target Retirement Income Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (17.1%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  25,775,268  2,785,275
International Stock Fund (11.8%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares  94,300,603  1,917,131
U.S. Bond Funds (53.8%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 541,978,110  6,026,797
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares 106,360,940  2,754,748
                     8,781,545
International Bond Funds (16.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 227,546,447  2,591,754
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   2,631,079     26,337
                     2,618,091
Total Investment Companies (Cost $12,429,893) 16,102,042
Temporary Cash Investments (1.2%)
Money Market Fund (1.2%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $199,805)   1,998,148           199,815
Total Investments (99.9%) (Cost $12,629,698)   16,301,857
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)   19,748
Net Assets (100%)   16,321,605
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
6

Target Retirement Income Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 890 117,132 (1,423)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 448 96,270 (3,250)
        (4,673)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
7

Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $12,629,698) 16,301,857
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 6,347
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 47,762
Receivables for Accrued Income 55,488
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 6,748
Total Assets 16,418,202
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 55,489
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 40,059
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,049
Total Liabilities 96,597
Net Assets 16,321,605

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 11,757,877
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 4,563,728
Net Assets 16,321,605
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,070,984,672 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
16,321,605
Net Asset Value Per Share $15.24
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
8

Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 322,402
Net Investment Income—Note B 322,402
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 64,959
Affiliated Funds Sold 952,215
Futures Contracts 23,248
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,040,422
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 94,066
Futures Contracts (7,083)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 86,983
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,449,807
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
9

Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 322,402 371,700
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,040,422 297,540
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 86,983 506,784
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,449,807 1,176,024
Distributions    
Total Distributions (609,990) (378,668)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 3,092,305 3,038,878
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 575,385 359,137
Redeemed (5,761,722) (3,603,059)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (2,094,032) (205,044)
Total Increase (Decrease) (1,254,215) 592,312
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 17,575,820 16,983,508
End of Period 16,321,605 17,575,820
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
10

Target Retirement Income Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $14.54 $13.85 $13.52 $13.46 $13.08
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .278 .308 .341 .334 .250
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .056 .001 .004
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments .887 .696 .533 .107 .422
Total from Investment Operations 1.221 1.004 .874 .442 .676
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.256) (.297) (.352) (.327) (.254)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.265) (.017) (.192) (.055) (.042)
Total Distributions (.521) (.314) (.544) (.382) (.296)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $15.24 $14.54 $13.85 $13.52 $13.46
Total Return2 8.48% 7.35% 6.75% 3.31% 5.26%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $16,322 $17,576 $16,984 $16,613 $16,645
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.13%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.84% 2.19% 2.54% 2.47% 1.90%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 17% 10% 6% 8%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
11

Target Retirement Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
12

Target Retirement Income Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
13

Target Retirement Income Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 140,955
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (140,955)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 50,993
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 840,576
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 3,672,159
14

Target Retirement Income Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 335,548 378,668
Long-Term Capital Gains 274,442
Total 609,990 378,668
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 12,629,698
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 3,678,803
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (6,644)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,672,159
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 204,713   216,355
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 38,362   25,681
Redeemed (380,863)   (259,849)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (137,788)   (17,813)
15

Target Retirement Income Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 224,508 NA1 NA1 134 199,815
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 2,953,727 161,855 420,732 11,064 48,834 94,623 2,754,748
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 6,486,928 468,786 682,193 (21,689) (225,035) 114,756 60,607 6,026,797
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 2,736,237 157,773 243,343 (4,316) (54,597) 22,771 4,352 2,591,754
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 26,493 (156) 31 26,337
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 2,107,062 59,465 690,059 145,326 295,337 52,234 1,917,131
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 3,053,704 142,419 1,262,361 821,830 29,683 37,853 2,785,275
Total 17,562,166 1,016,791 3,298,688 952,215 94,066 322,402 64,959 16,301,857
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
16

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2015 Fund 9.49% 7.13% 7.87% $21,328
 Target 2015 Composite Index 9.78 7.43 8.10 21,783
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2015 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, as well as the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities Index through June 2, 2013, and the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index thereafter; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
17

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 36.5%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 18.7
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares 16.2
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 15.7
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 12.8
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.1
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
18

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.6%)
U.S. Stock Fund (18.4%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  22,115,939  2,389,848
International Stock Fund (12.6%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares  80,489,381  1,636,349
U.S. Bond Funds (52.0%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 419,905,785  4,669,352
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares  79,798,565  2,066,783
                     6,736,135
International Bond Funds (15.6%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 176,067,208  2,005,406
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   2,003,206     20,052
                     2,025,458
Total Investment Companies (Cost $9,521,738) 12,787,790
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $161,511)   1,615,162           161,516
Total Investments (99.9%) (Cost $9,683,249)   12,949,306
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)   17,817
Net Assets (100%)   12,967,123
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
19

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 723 95,154 (1,093)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 336 72,202 (2,467)
        (3,560)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
20

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $9,683,249) 12,949,306
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 4,843
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 41,283
Receivables for Accrued Income 41,816
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 3,054
Total Assets 13,040,302
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 41,817
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 30,583
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 779
Total Liabilities 73,179
Net Assets 12,967,123

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 8,373,922
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 4,593,201
Net Assets 12,967,123
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 795,878,750 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
12,967,123
Net Asset Value Per Share $16.29
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
21

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 264,629
Net Investment Income—Note B 264,629
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 52,798
Affiliated Funds Sold 1,335,054
Futures Contracts 21,918
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,409,770
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds (283,889)
Futures Contracts (6,645)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) (290,534)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,383,865
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
22

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 264,629 334,603
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,409,770 764,914
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) (290,534) (7,626)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,383,865 1,091,891
Distributions    
Total Distributions (953,910) (734,000)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 1,534,767 2,038,962
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 924,637 713,503
Redeemed (5,154,858) (3,525,024)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (2,695,454) (772,559)
Total Increase (Decrease) (2,265,499) (414,668)
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 15,232,622 15,647,290
End of Period 12,967,123 15,232,622
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
23

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $15.84 $15.42 $15.60 $15.75 $15.19
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .293 .336 .376 .371 .305
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .058 .001 .005
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 1.114 .818 .455 .328 .846
Total from Investment Operations 1.465 1.154 .831 .700 1.156
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.250) (.379) (.372) (.318) (.289)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.765) (.355) (.639) (.532) (.307)
Total Distributions (1.015) (.734) (1.011) (.850) (.596)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $16.29 $15.84 $15.42 $15.60 $15.75
Total Return2 9.49% 7.68% 6.08% 4.54% 7.95%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $12,967 $15,233 $15,647 $16,410 $17,250
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.12% 0.12% 0.13% 0.13% 0.13%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.81% 2.20% 2.52% 2.39% 2.02%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 4% 18% 10% 7% 7%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
24

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
25

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
26

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 205,474
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (205,474)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recongition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 154,586
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 1,172,558
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 3,266,057
27

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 252,293 393,797
Long-Term Capital Gains 701,617 340,203
Total 953,910 734,000
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 9,683,249
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 3,266,287
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (230)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,266,057
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 95,212   134,165
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 58,819   46,910
Redeemed (320,093)   (233,997)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (166,062)   (52,922)
28

Target Retirement 2015 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 196,038 NA1 NA1 123 161,516
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 2,225,199 140,231 344,660 10,448 35,565 71,155 2,066,783
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 5,339,171 245,434 716,661 (16,020) (182,572) 91,934 49,186 4,669,352
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 2,288,022 77,201 312,047 4,061 (51,831) 18,317 3,612 2,005,406
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 20,032 20 32 20,052
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 2,117,820 47,946 961,787 222,723 209,647 47,946 1,636,349
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 2,987,622 112,504 1,529,402 1,113,842 (294,718) 35,122 2,389,848
Total 15,153,872 643,348 3,864,557 1,335,054 (283,889) 264,629 52,798 12,949,306
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
29

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2020 Fund 13.37% 8.60% 9.11% $23,919
 Target 2020 Composite Index 13.65 8.93 9.39 24,532
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2020 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
30

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 30.8%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 27.4
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 18.7
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 13.2
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares 9.7
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.2
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
31

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (27.0%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  63,437,907  6,855,100
International Stock Fund (18.5%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 230,286,363  4,681,722
U.S. Bond Funds (40.0%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 694,476,786  7,722,582
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares  94,158,919  2,438,716
                    10,161,298
International Bond Funds (13.2%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 289,313,148  3,295,277
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   5,008,015     50,130
                     3,345,407
Total Investment Companies (Cost $17,289,619) 25,043,527
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $323,662)   3,236,755           323,675
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $17,613,281)   25,367,202
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   5,440
Net Assets (100%)   25,372,642
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
32

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,404 184,780 (2,183)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 649 139,462 (4,767)
        (6,950)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
33

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $17,613,281) 25,367,202
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 9,410
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 90,063
Receivables for Accrued Income 53,311
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 7,716
Total Assets 25,527,702
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 53,312
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 100,254
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,494
Total Liabilities 155,060
Net Assets 25,372,642

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 14,083,850
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 11,288,792
Net Assets 25,372,642
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 704,066,219 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
25,372,642
Net Asset Value Per Share $36.04
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
34

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 525,644
Net Investment Income—Note B 525,644
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 94,741
Affiliated Funds Sold 4,011,997
Futures Contracts 43,042
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 4,149,780
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds (626,523)
Futures Contracts (12,823)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) (639,346)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 4,036,078
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
35

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 525,644 705,861
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 4,149,780 1,452,786
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) (639,346) 326,496
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 4,036,078 2,485,143
Distributions    
Total Distributions (1,972,170) (1,159,070)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 4,223,125 5,243,714
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 1,914,388 1,131,242
Redeemed (14,716,058) (8,603,355)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (8,578,545) (2,228,399)
Total Increase (Decrease) (6,514,637) (902,326)
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 31,887,279 32,789,605
End of Period 25,372,642 31,887,279
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
36

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $33.79 $32.24 $32.14 $31.19 $29.09
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .613 .713 .778 .729 .636
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .110 .002 .008
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 3.680 1.987 .736 1.079 2.231
Total from Investment Operations 4.403 2.700 1.514 1.810 2.875
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.554) (.789) (.745) (.631) (.562)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (1.599) (.361) (.669) (.229) (.213)
Total Distributions (2.153) (1.150) (1.414) (.860) (.775)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $36.04 $33.79 $32.24 $32.14 $31.19
Total Return2 13.37% 8.51% 5.29% 5.87% 10.17%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $25,373 $31,887 $32,790 $33,114 $31,263
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.13% 0.13% 0.13% 0.13% 0.13%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.73% 2.21% 2.51% 2.30% 2.15%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 19% 13% 10% 9%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
37

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
38

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
39

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 764,781
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (764,781)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 290,199
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 3,244,672
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 7,753,921
40

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 538,746 817,503
Long-Term Capital Gains 1,433,424 341,567
Total 1,972,170 1,159,070
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 17,613,281
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 7,754,578
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (657)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 7,753,921
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 119,777   162,609
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 55,911   34,711
Redeemed (415,260)   (270,581)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (239,572)   (73,261)
41

Target Retirement 2020 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 324,637 NA1 NA1 222 323,675
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 2,653,326 241,566 513,864 12,641 45,047 85,527 2,438,716
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 9,348,388 709,132 1,980,272 (30,724) (323,942) 161,638 88,400 7,722,582
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 4,038,842 158,098 818,560 10,145 (93,248) 31,758 6,341 3,295,277
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 50,080 50 81 50,130
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 6,252,622 141,849 3,007,530 636,596 658,185 141,848 4,681,722
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 9,076,832 278,399 4,970,855 3,383,339 (912,615) 104,570 6,855,100
Total 31,694,647 1,579,124 11,291,081 4,011,997 (626,523) 525,644 94,741 25,367,202
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
42

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2025 Fund 15.93% 9.61% 10.00% $25,941
 Target 2025 Composite Index 16.34 9.99 10.30 26,642
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2025 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
43

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 34.2%
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 28.7
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 23.2
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 12.1
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares 1.4
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.4
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
44

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (33.7%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares   128,803,966 13,918,557
International Stock Fund (22.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares   464,346,432  9,440,163
U.S. Bond Funds (29.7%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 1,051,273,196 11,690,158
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Investor Shares    21,521,642    557,410
                      12,247,568
International Bond Funds (12.4%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares   435,143,865  4,956,289
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares    17,027,710    170,447
                        5,126,736
Total Investment Companies (Cost $26,289,362) 40,733,024
Temporary Cash Investments (1.2%)
Money Market Fund (1.2%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $507,252)     5,072,734           507,273
Total Investments (99.9%) (Cost $26,796,614)   41,240,297
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)   28,040
Net Assets (100%)   41,268,337
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
45

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,286 300,859 (2,924)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,089 234,013 (8,013)
        (10,937)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
46

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $26,796,614) 41,240,297
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 15,410
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 142,125
Receivables for Accrued Income 28,909
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 16,330
Total Assets 41,443,071
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 28,916
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 143,251
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 2,567
Total Liabilities 174,734
Net Assets 41,268,337

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 21,806,876
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 19,461,461
Net Assets 41,268,337
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,806,939,941 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
41,268,337
Net Asset Value Per Share $22.84
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
47

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 766,153
Net Investment Income—Note B 766,153
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 132,836
Affiliated Funds Sold 5,618,480
Futures Contracts 49,302
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,800,618
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 652,943
Futures Contracts (19,609)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 633,334
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,200,105
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
48

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 766,153 1,007,353
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,800,618 1,015,820
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 633,334 1,714,535
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,200,105 3,737,708
Distributions    
Total Distributions (2,094,825) (1,174,627)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 8,111,163 7,933,617
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 2,045,136 1,150,386
Redeemed (20,513,757) (9,272,657)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (10,357,458) (188,654)
Total Increase (Decrease) (5,252,178) 2,374,427
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 46,520,515 44,146,088
End of Period 41,268,337 46,520,515
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
49

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $20.56 $19.34 $19.02 $18.25 $16.77
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .362 .438 .464 .419 .380
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .063 .001 .004
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 2.792 1.292 .390 .807 1.534
Total from Investment Operations 3.217 1.730 .854 1.227 1.918
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.356) (.471) (.434) (.369) (.327)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.581) (.039) (.100) (.088) (.111)
Total Distributions (.937) (.510) (.534) (.457) (.438)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $22.84 $20.56 $19.34 $19.02 $18.25
Total Return2 15.93% 9.04% 4.89% 6.79% 11.74%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $41,268 $46,521 $44,146 $41,860 $37,111
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.13% 0.13% 0.13% 0.13% 0.14%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.63% 2.25% 2.51% 2.24% 2.21%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 7% 21% 11% 8% 10%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
50

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
51

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
52

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 932,436
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (932,436)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 412,498
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 4,605,280
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 14,443,683
53

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 877,112 1,154,679
Long-Term Capital Gains 1,217,713 19,948
Total 2,094,825 1,174,627
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 26,796,614
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 14,467,067
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (23,384)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 14,443,683
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 366,167   405,875
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 95,078   57,837
Redeemed (917,408)   (483,645)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (456,163)   (19,933)
54

Target Retirement 2025 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 471,242 NA1 NA1 392 507,273
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 225,991 326,911 4,508 15,560 557,410
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 12,850,937 1,565,612 2,222,328 (64,844) (439,219) 232,878 124,094 11,690,158
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 5,507,353 469,025 899,984 (14,579) (105,526) 46,035 8,742 4,956,289
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 170,278 169 278 170,447
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 11,004,784 270,147 4,157,141 789,009 1,533,364 270,155 9,440,163
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 16,288,734 394,983 7,333,701 4,908,894 (340,353) 200,855 13,918,557
Total 46,349,041 3,196,956 14,613,154 5,618,480 652,943 766,153 132,836 41,240,297
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
55

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2030 Fund 18.29% 10.44% 10.78% $27,832
 Target 2030 Composite Index 18.70 10.82 11.07 28,565
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2030 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
56

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 39.1%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 26.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 23.8
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 10.3
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.3
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
57

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.8%)
U.S. Stock Fund (38.6%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 131,964,514 14,260,086
International Stock Fund (26.2%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 476,463,020  9,686,493
U.S. Bond Fund (23.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 779,905,000  8,672,543
International Bond Funds (10.5%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 328,882,591  3,745,973
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares  12,019,696    120,317
                     3,866,290
Total Investment Companies (Cost $22,497,035) 36,485,412
Temporary Cash Investments (1.2%)
Money Market Fund (1.2%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $442,394)   4,424,086           442,408
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $22,939,429)   36,927,820
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   18,304
Net Assets (100%)   36,946,124
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
58

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,051 269,931 (2,803)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 971 208,656 (7,169)
        (9,972)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
59

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $22,939,429) 36,927,820
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 13,720
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 136,953
Receivables for Accrued Income 14,760
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 18,885
Total Assets 37,112,138
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 14,761
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 148,959
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 2,294
Total Liabilities 166,014
Net Assets 36,946,124

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 18,082,210
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 18,863,914
Net Assets 36,946,124
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 851,285,160 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
36,946,124
Net Asset Value Per Share $43.40
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
60

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 698,730
Net Investment Income—Note B 698,730
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 100,377
Affiliated Funds Sold 5,467,184
Futures Contracts 49,632
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,617,193
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 1,211,339
Futures Contracts (16,777)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,194,562
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,510,485
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
61

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 698,730 883,909
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,617,193 236,119
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,194,562 2,407,074
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,510,485 3,527,102
Distributions    
Total Distributions (1,152,250) (970,908)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 7,928,782 7,587,027
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 1,130,251 954,496
Redeemed (20,756,460) (7,926,412)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (11,697,427) 615,111
Total Increase (Decrease) (5,339,192) 3,171,305
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 42,285,316 39,114,011
End of Period 36,946,124 42,285,316
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
62

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $37.63 $35.22 $34.74 $32.93 $29.77
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .679 .782 .830 .754 .683
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .098 .001 .006
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 6.031 2.495 .486 1.744 3.167
Total from Investment Operations 6.808 3.277 1.316 2.499 3.856
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.661) (.867) (.767) (.670) (.576)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.377) (.069) (.019) (.120)
Total Distributions (1.038) (.867) (.836) (.689) (.696)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $43.40 $37.63 $35.22 $34.74 $32.93
Total Return2 18.29% 9.38% 4.15% 7.65% 13.25%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $36,946 $42,285 $39,114 $35,913 $30,877
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.13% 0.14% 0.14% 0.14% 0.14%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.62% 2.20% 2.46% 2.22% 2.21%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 21% 8% 9% 9%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
63

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
64

Target Retirement 2030 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Target Retirement 2030 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 978,991
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (978,991)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts; and the deferral of qualified late-year losses. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 367,861
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 4,544,907
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses (37,245)
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 13,988,391
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Target Retirement 2030 Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 877,307 970,908
Long-Term Capital Gains 274,943
Total 1,152,250 970,908
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 22,939,429
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 14,011,921
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (23,530)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 13,988,391
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 190,052   213,271
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 27,921   26,122
Redeemed (490,414)   (226,267)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (272,441)   13,126
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Target Retirement 2030 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 484,989 NA1 NA1 361 442,408
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 9,457,767 1,479,873 1,886,566 (55,763) (322,768) 175,154 93,834 8,672,543
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 4,107,268 460,313 728,809 (13,863) (78,936) 34,690 6,543 3,745,973
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 120,198 119 198 120,317
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 11,241,749 292,692 4,256,643 727,462 1,681,233 279,912 9,686,493
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 16,880,095 280,747 7,641,795 4,809,348 (68,309) 208,415 14,260,086
Total 42,171,868 2,633,823 14,513,813 5,467,184 1,211,339 698,730 100,377 36,927,820
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2035 Fund 20.60% 11.24% 11.54% $29,795
 Target 2035 Composite Index 21.09 11.63 11.83 30,582
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2035 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 43.6%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 29.6
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 18.5
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 8.0
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.3
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (43.1%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 150,771,007 16,292,315
International Stock Fund (29.2%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 544,219,137 11,063,975
U.S. Bond Fund (18.3%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 622,088,108  6,917,620
International Bond Funds (8.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 261,028,683  2,973,117
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   9,840,095     98,499
                     3,071,616
Total Investment Companies (Cost $21,610,452) 37,345,526
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $481,819)   4,818,384           481,838
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $22,092,271)   37,827,364
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (5,485)
Net Assets (100%)   37,821,879
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,107 277,301 (3,241)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,004 215,747 (7,419)
        (10,660)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $22,092,271) 37,827,364
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 14,450
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 102,029
Receivables for Accrued Income 11,728
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 13,263
Total Assets 37,968,834
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 11,729
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 132,902
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 2,324
Total Liabilities 146,955
Net Assets 37,821,879

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 16,482,672
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 21,339,207
Net Assets 37,821,879
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,387,872,065 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
37,821,879
Net Asset Value Per Share $27.25
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 699,119
Net Investment Income—Note B 699,119
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 74,699
Affiliated Funds Sold 5,184,892
Futures Contracts 42,130
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,301,721
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 2,178,253
Futures Contracts (16,766)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,161,487
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 8,162,327
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 699,119 825,556
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 5,301,721 269,202
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,161,487 2,412,559
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 8,162,327 3,507,317
Distributions    
Total Distributions (1,093,220) (909,779)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 6,946,551 6,619,919
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 1,072,459 894,998
Redeemed (17,862,848) (6,642,323)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (9,843,838) 872,594
Total Increase (Decrease) (2,774,731) 3,470,132
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 40,596,610 37,126,478
End of Period 37,821,879 40,596,610
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $23.16 $21.60 $21.46 $20.20 $18.09
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .430 .470 .500 .459 .418
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .046 .001 .003
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 4.244 1.614 .146 1.243 2.180
Total from Investment Operations 4.720 2.084 .646 1.703 2.601
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.409) (.524) (.464) (.410) (.356)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.221) (.042) (.033) (.135)
Total Distributions (.630) (.524) (.506) (.443) (.491)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $27.25 $23.16 $21.60 $21.46 $20.20
Total Return2 20.60% 9.71% 3.37% 8.51% 14.76%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $37,822 $40,597 $37,126 $34,522 $29,798
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.14% 0.14% 0.14% 0.14% 0.14%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.64% 2.15% 2.42% 2.19% 2.22%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 18% 7% 8% 9%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
77

Target Retirement 2035 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
78

Target Retirement 2035 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 453,425
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 5,150,689
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 15,735,093
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 824,643 909,779
Long-Term Capital Gains 268,577
Total 1,093,220 909,779
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 22,092,271
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 15,779,994
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (44,901)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 15,735,093
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 266,598   303,971
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 42,592   39,637
Redeemed (674,526)   (309,050)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (365,336)   34,558
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Target Retirement 2035 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 594,477 NA1 NA1 358 481,838
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 6,984,633 1,199,155 983,931 (27,779) (254,458) 132,829 69,859 6,917,620
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 3,015,281 398,352 370,662 (7,328) (62,526) 26,405 4,840 2,973,117
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 98,457 42 160 98,499
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 12,008,178 313,290 3,831,360 620,994 1,952,873 308,655 11,063,975
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 17,944,363 399,074 7,192,449 4,599,005 542,322 230,712 16,292,315
Total 40,546,932 2,408,328 12,378,402 5,184,892 2,178,253 699,119 74,699 37,827,364
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
81

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Chester Funds and Shareholders of Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund and Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Opinions on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund and Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund (six of the funds constituting Vanguard Chester Funds, hereafter collectively referred to as the "Funds") as of September 30, 2021, the related statements of operations for the year ended September 30, 2021, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of September 30, 2021, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinions
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of September 30, 2021 by correspondence with the transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 17, 2021
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Vanguard Group of Funds since 1975.
82


Special 2021 tax information (unaudited) for Vanguard Target Retirement Funds
This information for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, is included pursuant to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
The funds distributed capital gain dividends (20% rate gain distributions) to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Target Retirement Income Fund 415,397
Target Retirement 2015 Fund 878,792
Target Retirement 2020 Fund 2,142,341
Target Retirement 2025 Fund 2,068,899
Target Retirement 2030 Fund 1,180,557
Target Retirement 2035 Fund 268,577
For nonresident alien shareholders, 100% of short-term capital gain dividends distributed by the funds are qualified short-term capital gains.
The funds distributed qualified dividend income to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Target Retirement Income Fund 73,405
Target Retirement 2015 Fund 76,378
Target Retirement 2020 Fund 223,237
Target Retirement 2025 Fund 410,231
Target Retirement 2030 Fund 425,939
Target Retirement 2035 Fund 455,653
For corporate shareholders, the percentage of investment income (dividend income plus short-term gains, if any) that qualifies for the dividends-received deduction is as follows:
Fund Percentage
Target Retirement Income Fund 10.1%
Target Retirement 2015 Fund 11.4
Target Retirement 2020 Fund 17.0
Target Retirement 2025 Fund 22.3
Target Retirement 2030 Fund 23.6
Target Retirement 2035 Fund 26.6
83

The funds designate to shareholders foreign source income and foreign taxes paid as follows:
Fund Foreign Source Income
($000)
Foreign Taxes Paid
($000)
Target Retirement Income Fund 80,133 5,290
Target Retirement 2015 Fund 71,047 4,811
Target Retirement 2020 Fund 187,543 13,831
Target Retirement 2025 Fund 342,017 26,072
Target Retirement 2030 Fund 341,156 26,780
Target Retirement 2035 Fund 364,057 29,314
Shareholders will receive more detailed information with their Form 1099-DIV in January 2022 to determine the calendar-year amounts to be included on their 2021 tax returns.
84

"Bloomberg®," Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index, Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index, and Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged) (the Indices) are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (BISL), the administrator of the Indices (collectively, Bloomberg), and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
The Target Retirement Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Bloomberg. Bloomberg does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of or counterparties to the Target Retirement Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Target Retirement Funds particularly. The only relationship of Bloomberg to Vanguard is the licensing of certain trademarks, trade names and service marks and of the Indices, which are determined, composed and calculated by BISL without regard to Vanguard or the Target Retirement Funds. Bloomberg has no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of the Target Retirement Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Bloomberg is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Target Retirement Funds to be issued. Bloomberg shall not have any obligation or liability, including, without limitation, to the Target Retirement Funds’ customers, in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Target Retirement Funds.
BLOOMBERG DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, BLOOMBERG, ITS LICENSORS, AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND VENDORS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGES—WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR OTHERWISE—ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR THE INDICES OR ANY DATA OR VALUES RELATING THERETO—WHETHER ARISING FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.
© 2021 Bloomberg.
Used with Permission. Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. Copyright 2021, Bloomberg. All rights reserved.
85

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The People Who Govern Your Fund
The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them.
A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals. The independent board members have distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service. Each of the trustees and executive officers oversees 212 Vanguard funds.
Information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund appears below. That information, as well as the Vanguard fund count, is as of the date on the cover of this fund report. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482. More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained, without charge, by contacting Vanguard at 800-662-7447, or online at vanguard.com.
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley
Born in 1969. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood
Born in 1948. Trustee since January 2008. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.
Amy Gutmann
Born in 1949. Trustee since June 2006. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
 
1 Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, because he is an officer of the Vanguard funds.

F. Joseph Loughrey
Born in 1949. Trustee since October 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation. Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.
Mark Loughridge
Born in 1953. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.
Scott C. Malpass
Born in 1962. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chief investment officer (retired June 2020) and vice president (retired June 2020) of the University of Notre Dame. Assistant professor (retired June 2020) of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.
Deanna Mulligan
Born in 1963. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
André F. Perold
Born in 1952. Trustee since December 2004. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies (private investment firm). Member of the board (2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm). Member of the investment committee of Partners Health Care System.
Sarah Bloom Raskin
Born in 1961. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Professor (2020–present), Distinguished Fellow of the Global Financial Markets Center (2020–present), and Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) at Duke University. Trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present). Member of the Regenerative Crisis Response Committee (2020–present).
David A. Thomas
Born in 1956. Trustee since July 2021. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president of Morehouse College (2018–present). Professor of business administration, emeritus at Harvard University (2017–2018). Dean (2011–2016) and professor of management (2016–2017) at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Director of DTE Energy Company (2013–present). Trustee of Common Fund (2019–present).
Peter F. Volanakis
Born in 1955. Trustee since July 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.

Executive Officers
John Bendl
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
Christine M. Buchanan
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
David Cermak
Born in 1960. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.
John Galloway
Born in 1973. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy assistant to the President of the United States (2015).
Peter Mahoney
Born in 1974. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008–2014) at Vanguard.
Anne E. Robinson
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: general counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.
Michael Rollings
Born in 1963. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.
John E. Schadl
Born in 1972. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
Vanguard Senior Management Team
Matthew Benchener Thomas M. Rampulla
Joseph Brennan Karin A. Risi
Mortimer J. Buckley Anne E. Robinson
Gregory Davis Michael Rollings
John James Nitin Tandon
John T. Marcante Lauren Valente
Chris D. McIsaac  

Connect with Vanguard®>vanguard.com
Fund Information > 800-662-7447
Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739
Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036
Text Telephone for People
Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing > 800-749-7273
This material may be used in conjunction with the offering of shares of any Vanguard fund only if preceded or accompanied by the fund’s current prospectus.
All comparative mutual fund data are from Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.
You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting guidelines by visiting vanguard.com/proxyreporting or by calling Vanguard at 800-662-2739. The guidelines are also available from the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30. To get the report, visit either vanguard.com/proxyreporting or www.sec.gov.
You can review information about your fund on the SEC’s website, and you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a request via email addressed to publicinfo@sec.gov.
© 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.
Q3080 112021

 

 

Annual Report  |  September 30, 2021
Vanguard Target Retirement Funds
Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund

Contents
Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the front of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2021, returns for the six Vanguard Target Retirement Funds covered in this report ranged from 23.00% for the Target Retirement 2040 Fund to 25.65% for the Target Retirement 2050 Fund. (The funds with target dates of 2015 through 2035, as well as the Target Retirement Income Fund, are covered in a separate report.)
The global economy rebounded faster than many had expected after the sharp pandemic-induced contraction in the spring of 2020. Stock returns were strong and bond yields moved broadly higher.
Vanguard Target Retirement Funds are designed to reach an allocation of 70% bonds and 30% stocks within seven years after their target dates. The funds invest all of their assets in Vanguard index funds that seek to match the performance of broad stock and bond market indexes.
For the 10 years ended September 30—or since inception for the two newest funds—the funds’ average annual returns ranged from 11.31% for the Target Retirement 2060 Fund to 12.40% for the Target Retirement 2050 Fund.
In late September, Vanguard announced plans to merge each of the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds into its corresponding Target Retirement Fund. The mergers are scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market Barometer
  Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
  One Year Three Years Five Years
Stocks      
Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps) 30.96% 16.43% 17.11%
Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps) 47.68 10.54 13.45
Russell 3000 Index (Broad U.S. market) 31.88 16.00 16.85
FTSE All-World ex US Index (International) 24.73 8.49 9.28
Bonds      
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(Broad taxable market)
-0.90% 5.36% 2.94%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
(Broad tax-exempt market)
2.63 5.06 3.26
FTSE Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index 0.06 1.14 1.13
CPI      
Consumer Price Index 5.39% 2.81% 2.59%
1

About Your Fund’s Expenses
As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.
A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Target Retirement Fund.
The accompanying table illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:
Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The ”Ending Account Value“ shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.
To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading ”Expenses Paid During Period.“
Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund‘s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
Note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only. Further, the expenses do not include any purchase, redemption, or account service fees described in the fund prospectus. If such fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”
The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.
You can find more information about the fund’s expenses in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to your fund’s current prospectus.
2

Six Months Ended September 30, 2021      
  Beginning
Account Value
3/31/2021
Ending
Account Value
9/30/2021
Expenses
Paid During
Period
Based on Actual Fund Return      
Target Retirement 2040 Fund $1,000.00 $1,050.70 $0.72
Target Retirement 2045 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.00 $0.77
Target Retirement 2050 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.30 $0.77
Target Retirement 2055 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.30 $0.77
Target Retirement 2060 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.20 $0.77
Target Retirement 2065 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.30 $0.77
Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return      
Target Retirement 2040 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.37 $0.71
Target Retirement 2045 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.32 $0.76
Target Retirement 2050 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.32 $0.76
Target Retirement 2055 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.32 $0.76
Target Retirement 2060 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.32 $0.76
Target Retirement 2065 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.32 $0.76
The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The underlying funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.15%, 0.15%, 0.15%, and 0.15%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized average weighted expense ratio for the underlying funds multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period (183/365).
3

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2040 Fund 23.00% 12.03% 12.08% $31,288
 Target 2040 Composite Index 23.51 12.42 12.40 32,181
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2040 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
4

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 48.2%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 32.7
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 13.1
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 6.0
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
5

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (47.5%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 128,034,163 13,835,372
International Stock Fund (32.3%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 461,705,772  9,386,478
U.S. Bond Fund (12.9%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 337,284,440  3,750,603
International Bond Funds (6.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 151,690,730  1,727,758
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   1,182,356     11,835
                     1,739,593
Total Investment Companies (Cost $15,921,609) 28,712,046
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $377,018)   3,770,337            377,033
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $16,298,627)   29,089,079
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (5,378)
Net Assets (100%)   29,083,701
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
6

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,628 214,260 (2,417)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 789 169,546 (5,804)
        (8,221)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
7

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $16,298,627) 29,089,079
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 11,300
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 74,187
Receivables for Accrued Income 6,446
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 14,761
Total Assets 29,195,773
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 6,447
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 103,793
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,832
Total Liabilities 112,072
Net Assets 29,083,701

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 11,781,047
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 17,302,654
Net Assets 29,083,701
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 602,310,336 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
29,083,701
Net Asset Value Per Share $48.29
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
8

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 560,421
Net Investment Income—Note B 560,421
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 42,037
Affiliated Funds Sold 4,217,843
Futures Contracts 29,013
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 4,288,893
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 2,381,242
Futures Contracts (9,067)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,372,175
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,221,489
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
9

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 560,421 641,754
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 4,288,893 50,254
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,372,175 2,178,061
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,221,489 2,870,069
Distributions    
Total Distributions (727,664) (701,833)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 5,959,146 6,050,667
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 714,460 690,099
Redeemed (16,488,112) (5,547,404)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (9,814,506) 1,193,362
Total Increase (Decrease) (3,320,681) 3,361,598
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 32,404,382 29,042,784
End of Period 29,083,701 32,404,382
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
10

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $40.07 $37.27 $37.26 $34.73 $30.59
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .764 .799 .850 .786 .718
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .057 .001 .003
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 8.312 2.892 (.005) 2.441 4.143
Total from Investment Operations 9.133 3.691 .845 3.228 4.864
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.719) (.891) (.779) (.684) (.599)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.194) (.056) (.014) (.125)
Total Distributions (.913) (.891) (.835) (.698) (.724)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $48.29 $40.07 $37.27 $37.26 $34.73
Total Return2 23.00% 9.96% 2.63% 9.37% 16.26%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $29,084 $32,404 $29,043 $26,445 $22,324
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.14% 0.14% 0.14% 0.14% 0.15%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.66% 2.12% 2.38% 2.17% 2.23%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 13% 5% 8% 8%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
11

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
12

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
13

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 420,581
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 4,091,641
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 12,790,432
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 622,960 701,833
Long-Term Capital Gains 104,704
Total 727,664 701,833
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
14

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 16,298,647
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 12,816,546
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (26,114)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 12,790,432
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 129,901   161,302
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 16,168   17,596
Redeemed (352,464)   (149,436)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (206,395)   29,462
15

Target Retirement 2040 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 247,069 NA 1 NA 1 252 377,033
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 3,935,308 771,802 796,824 (23,801) (135,882) 74,779 39,338 3,750,603
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 1,696,600 243,693 172,607 (3,567) (36,361) 14,884 2,699 1,727,758
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 11,988 (153) 8 11,835
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 10,551,197 269,139 3,711,408 561,717 1,715,833 269,145 9,386,478
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 15,976,053 223,640 6,885,620 3,683,494 837,805 201,353 13,835,372
Total 32,406,227 1,520,262 11,566,459 4,217,843 2,381,242 560,421 42,037 29,089,079
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
16

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2045 Fund 25.42% 12.62% 12.38% $32,122
 Target 2045 Composite Index 25.98 13.01 12.69 33,038
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2045 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
17

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 52.8%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 35.8
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 8.0
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 3.4
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
18

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (52.1%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 139,471,277 15,071,266
International Stock Fund (35.3%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 502,416,757 10,214,133
U.S. Bond Fund (7.9%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 205,127,509  2,281,018
International Bond Funds (3.4%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares  85,919,020    978,617
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares     435,241      4,357
                       982,974
Total Investment Companies (Cost $14,852,570) 28,549,391
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $379,097)   3,791,107            379,111
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $15,231,667)   28,928,502
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (10,450)
Net Assets (100%)   28,918,052
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
19

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,622 213,470 (2,452)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 767 164,819 (5,642)
        (8,094)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
20

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $15,231,667) 28,928,502
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 11,080
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 72,944
Receivables for Accrued Income 3,873
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 13,708
Total Assets 29,030,107
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 3,875
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 106,410
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,770
Total Liabilities 112,055
Net Assets 28,918,052

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 11,757,988
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 17,160,064
Net Assets 28,918,052
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 931,756,210 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
28,918,052
Net Asset Value Per Share $31.04
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
21

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 545,625
Net Investment Income—Note B 545,625
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 22,548
Affiliated Funds Sold 3,129,802
Futures Contracts 25,660
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 3,178,010
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 3,769,425
Futures Contracts (9,263)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,760,162
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,483,797
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
22

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 545,625 581,187
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 3,178,010 63,513
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,760,162 2,123,497
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,483,797 2,768,197
Distributions    
Total Distributions (634,587) (636,663)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 5,370,565 5,359,364
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 623,462 626,488
Redeemed (14,130,579) (4,581,926)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (8,136,552) 1,403,926
Total Increase (Decrease) (1,287,342) 3,535,460
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 30,205,394 26,669,934
End of Period 28,918,052 30,205,394
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
23

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $25.22 $23.38 $23.49 $21.80 $19.12
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .495 .492 .527 .492 .450
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .020 .001
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 5.840 1.900 (.128) 1.636 2.696
Total from Investment Operations 6.355 2.392 .399 2.128 3.147
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.452) (.552) (.483) (.428) (.375)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.083) (.026) (.010) (.092)
Total Distributions (.535) (.552) (.509) (.438) (.467)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $31.04 $25.22 $23.38 $23.49 $21.80
Total Return2 25.42% 10.27% 2.06% 9.85% 16.84%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $28,918 $30,205 $26,670 $24,330 $20,413
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.68% 2.08% 2.35% 2.16% 2.23%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 4% 9% 4% 7% 8%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
24

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
25

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
26

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 416,210
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 3,047,027
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 13,696,827
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 589,606 636,663
Long-Term Capital Gains 44,981
Total 634,587 636,663
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
27

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 15,231,675
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 13,723,358
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (26,531)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 13,696,827
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 182,983   228,288
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 22,156   25,292
Redeemed (471,180)   (196,369)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (266,041)   57,211
28

Target Retirement 2045 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 381,076 NA 1 NA 1 258 379,111
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 1,888,027 691,029 211,768 (6,213) (80,057) 41,567 21,098 2,281,018
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 920,558 136,455 57,000 (757) (20,639) 8,219 1,450 978,617
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 4,386 (29) 5 4,357
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 10,776,357 282,965 3,170,891 426,812 1,898,890 282,970 10,214,133
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 16,243,273 223,405 6,076,632 2,709,960 1,971,260 212,606 15,071,266
Total 30,209,291 1,338,240 9,516,291 3,129,802 3,769,425 545,625 22,548 28,928,502
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
29

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2050 Fund 25.65% 12.66% 12.40% $32,183
 Target 2050 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 12.72 33,126
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2050 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
30

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 54.0%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.6
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.3
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 3.0
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.1
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
31

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.3%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 106,408,101 11,498,459
International Stock Fund (36.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 383,203,879  7,790,535
U.S. Bond Fund (6.3%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 121,621,313  1,352,429
International Bond Funds (3.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares  56,515,764    643,715
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   1,757,540     17,593
                       661,308
Total Investment Companies (Cost $11,751,379) 21,302,731
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $276,940)   2,769,628            276,963
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $12,028,319)   21,579,694
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   3,542
Net Assets (100%)   21,583,236
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
32

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,200 157,931 (1,825)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 582 125,065 (4,310)
        (6,135)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
33

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $12,028,319) 21,579,694
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 8,348
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 86,102
Receivables for Accrued Income 2,348
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 12,989
Total Assets 21,689,481
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 2,349
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 102,546
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,350
Total Liabilities 106,245
Net Assets 21,583,236

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 9,840,466
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 11,742,770
Net Assets 21,583,236
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 430,906,712 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
21,583,236
Net Asset Value Per Share $50.09
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
34

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 414,923
Net Investment Income—Note B 414,923
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 16,053
Affiliated Funds Sold 1,923,412
Futures Contracts 15,153
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,954,618
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 3,395,385
Futures Contracts (7,676)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,387,709
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 5,757,250
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
35

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 414,923 434,278
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 1,954,618 47,373
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 3,387,709 1,628,588
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 5,757,250 2,110,239
Distributions    
Total Distributions (470,654) (462,317)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 4,982,608 5,098,536
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 460,885 453,580
Redeemed (12,125,498) (3,691,857)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (6,682,005) 1,860,259
Total Increase (Decrease) (1,395,409) 3,508,181
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 22,978,645 19,470,464
End of Period 21,583,236 22,978,645
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
36

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $40.60 $37.63 $37.80 $35.07 $30.63
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .798 .793 .851 .794 .727
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .031 .001 .002
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 9.498 3.053 (.204) 2.629 4.332
Total from Investment Operations 10.327 3.846 .647 3.424 5.061
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.741) (.876) (.789) (.684) (.587)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.096) (.028) (.010) (.034)
Total Distributions (.837) (.876) (.817) (.694) (.621)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $50.09 $40.60 $37.63 $37.80 $35.07
Total Return2 25.65% 10.26% 2.07% 9.84% 16.84%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $21,583 $22,979 $19,470 $16,804 $13,407
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.68% 2.08% 2.36% 2.16% 2.24%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 4% 9% 3% 7% 6%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
37

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
38

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
39

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 320,838
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 1,870,907
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 9,551,025
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 460,306 462,317
Long-Term Capital Gains 10,348
Total 470,654 462,317
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
40

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 12,028,669
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 9,558,783
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (7,758)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 9,551,025
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 105,418   135,066
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 10,161   11,376
Redeemed (250,603)   (97,920)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (135,024)   48,522
41

Target Retirement 2050 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 372,765 NA 1 NA 1 211 276,963
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 1,398,010 488,493 474,481 (10,479) (49,114) 27,644 15,008 1,352,429
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 667,925 81,092 89,994 (1,773) (13,535) 5,807 1,045 643,715
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 17,619 (26) 29 17,593
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 8,216,665 238,421 2,452,567 323,677 1,464,339 217,860 7,790,535
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 12,322,544 239,486 4,669,279 1,611,987 1,993,721 163,372 11,498,459
Total 22,977,909 1,065,111 7,686,321 1,923,412 3,395,385 414,923 16,053 21,579,694
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
42

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: September 30, 2011, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2055 Fund 25.61% 12.65% 12.39% $32,145
 Target 2055 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 12.72 33,126
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 16.69 46,791
Target 2055 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
43

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 54.0%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.5
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 2.8
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.2
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
44

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.3%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  61,756,320  6,673,388
International Stock Fund (36.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 222,102,373  4,515,341
U.S. Bond Fund (6.4%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares  71,869,009    799,183
International Bond Funds (2.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares  30,244,486    344,485
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   2,514,120     25,166
                       369,651
Total Investment Companies (Cost $7,860,473) 12,357,563
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $161,336)   1,613,569            161,357
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $8,021,809)   12,518,920
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (2,453)
Net Assets (100%)   12,516,467
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
45

Target Retirement 2055 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 691 90,942 (1,065)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 340 73,062 (2,452)
        (3,517)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
46

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $8,021,809) 12,518,920
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 4,874
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 46,083
Receivables for Accrued Income 1,360
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 10,481
Total Assets 12,581,718
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 1,360
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 63,102
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 789
Total Liabilities 65,251
Net Assets 12,516,467

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 6,995,992
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 5,520,475
Net Assets 12,516,467
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 230,180,049 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
12,516,467
Net Asset Value Per Share $54.38
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
47

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 237,123
Net Investment Income—Note B 237,123
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 9,162
Affiliated Funds Sold 864,412
Futures Contracts 10,278
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 883,852
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 2,140,627
Futures Contracts (4,709)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,135,918
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 3,256,893
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
48

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 237,123 236,270
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 883,852 27,945
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,135,918 905,382
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 3,256,893 1,169,597
Distributions    
Total Distributions (263,084) (240,555)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 3,618,989 3,561,374
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 258,127 236,321
Redeemed (7,255,587) (2,027,645)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (3,378,471) 1,770,050
Total Increase (Decrease) (384,662) 2,699,092
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 12,901,129 10,202,037
End of Period 12,516,467 12,901,129
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
49

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $44.08 $40.84 $40.95 $37.98 $33.15
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .868 .862 .929 .868 .796
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .034 .001 .002
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 10.295 3.307 (.209) 2.819 4.688
Total from Investment Operations 11.197 4.169 .720 3.688 5.486
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.791) (.929) (.830) (.718) (.654)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.106) (.002)
Total Distributions (.897) (.929) (.830) (.718) (.656)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $54.38 $44.08 $40.84 $40.95 $37.98
Total Return2 25.61% 10.25% 2.09% 9.79% 16.86%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $12,516 $12,901 $10,202 $8,011 $5,600
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.68% 2.09% 2.37% 2.18% 2.26%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 8% 3% 5% 5%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
51

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
52

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 188,677
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 834,928
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 4,496,870
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 251,522 240,555
Long-Term Capital Gains 11,562
Total 263,084 240,555
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Target Retirement 2055 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 8,022,050
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 4,502,235
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (5,365)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,496,870
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 70,481   86,869
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 5,241   5,459
Redeemed (138,217)   (49,428)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (62,495)   42,900
54

Target Retirement 2055 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 218,056 NA 1 NA 1 116 161,357
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 817,238 290,636 274,624 (5,674) (28,393) 16,057 8,554 799,183
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 369,253 57,914 73,831 (1,625) (7,226) 3,239 608 344,485
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 25,164 2 44 25,166
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 4,605,242 170,753 1,264,505 146,914 856,937 124,136 4,515,341
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 6,893,596 213,546 2,477,858 724,797 1,319,307 93,531 6,673,388
Total 12,903,385 758,013 4,090,818 864,412 2,140,627 237,123 9,162 12,518,920
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: January 19, 2012, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(1/19/2012)
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2060 Fund 25.60% 12.64% 11.31% $28,266
 Target 2060 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 11.67 29,155
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 15.30 39,763
Target 2060 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index through June 2, 2013, and the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index thereafter; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged beginning June 3, 2013; and for U.S. stocks, the MSCI US Broad Market Index through June 2, 2013, and the CRSP US Total Market Index thereafter. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 54.1%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.6
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 2.4
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.4
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
57

Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.4%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  32,916,060 3,556,910
International Stock Fund (36.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 117,966,867 2,398,266
U.S. Bond Fund (6.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares  38,957,274   433,205
International Bond Funds (2.8%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares  14,039,556   159,910
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares   2,655,509    26,582
                      186,492
Total Investment Companies (Cost $4,442,513) 6,574,873
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $86,132)     861,429           86,143
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $4,528,645)   6,661,016
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (2,968)
Net Assets (100%)   6,658,048
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
58

Target Retirement 2060 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 382 50,275 (544)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 162 34,812 (1,136)
        (1,680)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
59

Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $4,528,645) 6,661,016
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 2,710
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 13,894
Receivables for Accrued Income 727
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 7,175
Total Assets 6,685,522
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 727
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 26,302
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 445
Total Liabilities 27,474
Net Assets 6,658,048

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 4,218,718
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 2,439,330
Net Assets 6,658,048
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 138,599,924 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
6,658,048
Net Asset Value Per Share $48.04
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
60

Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 118,277
Net Investment Income—Note B 118,277
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 4,453
Affiliated Funds Sold 224,178
Futures Contracts 6,301
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 234,932
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 1,208,231
Futures Contracts (2,356)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,205,875
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,559,084
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
61

Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 118,277 106,237
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 234,932 16,393
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,205,875 421,479
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,559,084 544,109
Distributions    
Total Distributions (125,887) (102,334)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 2,345,567 2,143,394
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 122,717 99,595
Redeemed (3,270,018) (1,016,890)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions (801,734) 1,226,099
Total Increase (Decrease) 631,463 1,667,874
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 6,026,585 4,358,711
End of Period 6,658,048 6,026,585
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $38.95 $36.07 $36.16 $33.51 $29.25
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .773 .762 .822 .768 .708
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .029 .002
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 9.085 2.922 (.192) 2.495 4.126
Total from Investment Operations 9.887 3.684 .630 3.263 4.836
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.684) (.804) (.717) (.613) (.574)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.113) (.003) (.002)
Total Distributions (.797) (.804) (.720) (.613) (.576)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $48.04 $38.95 $36.07 $36.16 $33.51
Total Return2 25.60% 10.25% 2.07% 9.81% 16.84%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $6,658 $6,027 $4,359 $3,240 $2,081
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.69% 2.09% 2.37% 2.19% 2.28%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 8% 6% 2% 3% 4%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
64

Target Retirement 2060 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 120,717
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 186,472
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 2,132,141
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 119,030 102,334
Long-Term Capital Gains 6,857
Total 125,887 102,334
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 4,528,875
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 2,136,902
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (4,761)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,132,141
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 51,610   59,404
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 2,820   2,603
Redeemed (70,564)   (28,099)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding (16,134)   33,908
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Target Retirement 2060 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 101,900 NA 1 NA 1 56 86,143
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 412,678 171,056 133,567 (1,822) (15,140) 8,213 4,182 433,205
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 166,074 30,380 32,657 (569) (3,318) 1,523 271 159,910
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 26,685 (103) 34 26,582
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 2,137,228 141,144 349,058 32,732 436,220 61,683 2,398,266
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 3,206,171 188,045 821,715 193,837 790,572 46,768 3,556,910
Total 6,024,051 557,310 1,336,997 224,178 1,208,231 118,277 4,453 6,661,016
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: July 12, 2017, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $10,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Since
Inception
(7/12/2017)
Final Value
of a $10,000
Investment
 Target Retirement 2065 Fund 25.59% 11.96% $16,106
 Target 2065 Composite Index 26.28 12.44 16,402
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.59 19,111
Target 2065 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index for international stocks, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged for international bonds, and the CRSP US Total Market Index for U.S. stocks. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares 54.1%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.4
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.9
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares 2.0
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares 0.6
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.5%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.2%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares  7,046,225   761,415
International Stock Fund (35.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 25,234,251   513,012
U.S. Bond Fund (6.9%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares  8,818,661    98,064
International Bond Funds (2.5%)
  Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Investor Shares  2,431,715    27,697
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Investor Shares    815,426     8,163
                      35,860
Total Investment Companies (Cost $1,116,306) 1,408,351
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $20,579)    205,794           20,579
Total Investments (99.9%) (Cost $1,136,885)   1,428,930
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)   1,382
Net Assets (100%)   1,430,312
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 82 10,792 (128)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 49 10,529 (370)
        (498)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $1,136,885) 1,428,930
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 685
Receivables for Investment Securities Sold 1,850
Receivables for Accrued Income 158
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 2,991
Total Assets 1,434,614
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 158
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 4,028
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 116
Total Liabilities 4,302
Net Assets 1,430,312

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 1,120,952
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 309,360
Net Assets 1,430,312
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 47,182,597 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
1,430,312
Net Asset Value Per Share $30.31
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 21,055
Net Investment Income—Note B 21,055
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 706
Affiliated Funds Sold (51)
Futures Contracts 2,767
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 3,422
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 218,454
Futures Contracts (566)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 217,888
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 242,365
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 21,055 13,155
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 3,422 1,179
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 217,888 61,484
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 242,365 75,818
Distributions    
Total Distributions (16,724) (9,765)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 855,105 602,188
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 16,018 9,419
Redeemed (530,659) (233,506)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 340,464 378,101
Total Increase (Decrease) 566,105 444,154
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 864,207 420,053
End of Period 1,430,312 864,207
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30, July 12,
20171 to
September 30,
2017
2021 2020 2019 2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $24.52 $22.69 $22.64 $20.79 $20.00
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income2 .500 .485 .529 .524 .150
Capital Gain Distributions Received2 .017
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 5.712 1.802 (.116) 1.496 .640
Total from Investment Operations 6.229 2.287 .413 2.020 .790
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.400) (.457) (.363) (.170)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.039) .000 3
Total Distributions (.439) (.457) (.363) (.170)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $30.31 $24.52 $22.69 $22.64 $20.79
Total Return4 25.59% 10.11% 2.09% 9.75% 3.95%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $1,430 $864 $420 $202 $19
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 5
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.72% 2.11% 2.42% 2.37% 3.30% 5
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 6% 2% 1% 29%
1 Inception.
2 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
3 Distribution was less than $.001 per share.
4 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown. Fund prospectuses provide information about any applicable account service fees.
5 Annualized.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund will merge into the fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
77

Target Retirement 2065 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 15,838
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 1,764
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 291,758
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 16,072 9,765
Long-Term Capital Gains 652
Total 16,724 9,765
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 1,137,172
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 296,000
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (4,242)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 291,758
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 29,600   26,715
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 584   391
Redeemed (18,250)   (10,367)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 11,934   16,739
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Target Retirement 2065 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 12,076 NA 1 NA 1 12 20,579
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 61,058 51,804 11,992 (151) (2,655) 1,502 666 98,064
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 21,040 11,204 3,891 (74) (582) 241 40 27,697
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 8,226 (63) 9 8,163
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 304,083 151,111 8,369 (29) 66,216 10,872 513,012
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 466,752 177,446 38,524 203 155,538 8,419 761,415
Total 865,009 399,791 62,776 (51) 218,454 21,055 706 1,428,930
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
81

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Chester Funds and Shareholders of Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund and Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Opinions on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund, Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund and Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund (six of the funds constituting Vanguard Chester Funds, hereafter collectively referred to as the "Funds") as of September 30, 2021, the related statements of operations for the year ended September 30, 2021, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of September 30, 2021, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021 and each of the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinions
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of September 30, 2021 by correspondence with the transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 17, 2021
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Vanguard Group of Funds since 1975.
82


Special 2021 tax information (unaudited) for Vanguard Target Retirement Funds
This information for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, is included pursuant to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
The funds distributed capital gain dividends (20% rate gain distributions) to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Target Retirement 2040 Fund 104,704
Target Retirement 2045 Fund 44,981
Target Retirement 2050 Fund 10,348
Target Retirement 2055 Fund 11,562
Target Retirement 2060 Fund 6,857
Target Retirement 2065 Fund 652
For nonresident alien shareholders, 100% of short-term capital gain dividends distributed by the funds are qualified short-term capital gains.
The funds distributed qualified dividend income to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Target Retirement 2040 Fund 402,675
Target Retirement 2045 Fund 409,103
Target Retirement 2050 Fund 317,915
Target Retirement 2055 Fund 176,419
Target Retirement 2060 Fund 81,911
Target Retirement 2065 Fund 11,496
For corporate shareholders, the percentage of investment income (dividend income plus short-term gains, if any) that qualifies for the dividends-received deduction is as follows:
Fund Percentage
Target Retirement 2040 Fund 27.8%
Target Retirement 2045 Fund 29.9
Target Retirement 2050 Fund 29.9
Target Retirement 2055 Fund 29.7
Target Retirement 2060 Fund 25.6
Target Retirement 2065 Fund 33.4
83

The funds designate to shareholders foreign source income and foreign taxes paid as follows:
Fund Foreign Source Income
($000)
Foreign Taxes Paid
($000)
Target Retirement 2040 Fund 309,253 25,417
Target Retirement 2045 Fund 317,646 26,589
Target Retirement 2050 Fund 244,015 20,458
Target Retirement 2055 Fund 138,967 11,656
Target Retirement 2060 Fund 68,954 5,790
Target Retirement 2065 Fund 12,113 1,019
Shareholders will receive more detailed information with their Form 1099-DIV in January 2022 to determine the calendar-year amounts to be included on their 2021 tax returns.
84

"Bloomberg®," Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, and Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged) (the Indices) are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (BISL), the administrator of the Indices (collectively, Bloomberg), and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
The Target Retirement Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Bloomberg. Bloomberg does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of or counterparties to the Target Retirement Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Target Retirement Funds particularly. The only relationship of Bloomberg to Vanguard is the licensing of certain trademarks, trade names and service marks and of the Indices, which are determined, composed and calculated by BISL without regard to Vanguard or the Target Retirement Funds. Bloomberg has no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of the Target Retirement Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Bloomberg is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Target Retirement Funds to be issued. Bloomberg shall not have any obligation or liability, including, without limitation, to the Target Retirement Funds’ customers, in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Target Retirement Funds.
BLOOMBERG DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, BLOOMBERG, ITS LICENSORS, AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND VENDORS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGES—WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR OTHERWISE—ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR THE INDICES OR ANY DATA OR VALUES RELATING THERETO—WHETHER ARISING FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.
© 2021 Bloomberg.
Used with Permission. Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. Copyright 2021, Bloomberg. All rights reserved.
85

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The People Who Govern Your Fund
The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them.
A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals. The independent board members have distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service. Each of the trustees and executive officers oversees 212 Vanguard funds.
Information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund appears below. That information, as well as the Vanguard fund count, is as of the date on the cover of this fund report. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482. More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained, without charge, by contacting Vanguard at 800-662-7447, or online at vanguard.com.
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley
Born in 1969. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood
Born in 1948. Trustee since January 2008. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.
Amy Gutmann
Born in 1949. Trustee since June 2006. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
 
1 Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, because he is an officer of the Vanguard funds.

F. Joseph Loughrey
Born in 1949. Trustee since October 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation. Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.
Mark Loughridge
Born in 1953. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.
Scott C. Malpass
Born in 1962. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chief investment officer (retired June 2020) and vice president (retired June 2020) of the University of Notre Dame. Assistant professor (retired June 2020) of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.
Deanna Mulligan
Born in 1963. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
André F. Perold
Born in 1952. Trustee since December 2004. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies (private investment firm). Member of the board (2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm). Member of the investment committee of Partners Health Care System.
Sarah Bloom Raskin
Born in 1961. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Professor (2020–present), Distinguished Fellow of the Global Financial Markets Center (2020–present), and Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) at Duke University. Trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present). Member of the Regenerative Crisis Response Committee (2020–present).
David A. Thomas
Born in 1956. Trustee since July 2021. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president of Morehouse College (2018–present). Professor of business administration, emeritus at Harvard University (2017–2018). Dean (2011–2016) and professor of management (2016–2017) at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Director of DTE Energy Company (2013–present). Trustee of Common Fund (2019–present).
Peter F. Volanakis
Born in 1955. Trustee since July 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.

Executive Officers
John Bendl
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
Christine M. Buchanan
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
David Cermak
Born in 1960. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.
John Galloway
Born in 1973. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy assistant to the President of the United States (2015).
Peter Mahoney
Born in 1974. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008–2014) at Vanguard.
Anne E. Robinson
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: general counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.
Michael Rollings
Born in 1963. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.
John E. Schadl
Born in 1972. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
Vanguard Senior Management Team
Matthew Benchener Thomas M. Rampulla
Joseph Brennan Karin A. Risi
Mortimer J. Buckley Anne E. Robinson
Gregory Davis Michael Rollings
John James Nitin Tandon
John T. Marcante Lauren Valente
Chris D. McIsaac  

Connect with Vanguard®>vanguard.com
Fund Information > 800-662-7447
Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739
Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036
Text Telephone for People
Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing > 800-749-7273
This material may be used in conjunction with the offering of shares of any Vanguard fund only if preceded or accompanied by the fund’s current prospectus.
All comparative mutual fund data are from Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.
You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting guidelines by visiting vanguard.com/proxyreporting or by calling Vanguard at 800-662-2739. The guidelines are also available from the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30. To get the report, visit either vanguard.com/proxyreporting or www.sec.gov.
You can review information about your fund on the SEC’s website, and you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a request via email addressed to publicinfo@sec.gov.
© 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.
Q3080B 112021

 

 

Annual Report  |  September 30, 2021
Vanguard Institutional Target
Retirement Funds
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund

Contents
Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the front of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2021, returns for the six Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds covered in this report ranged from 8.59% for the Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund to 20.70% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund. (The funds with target dates of 2040 through 2065 are covered in a separate report.)
The global economy rebounded faster than many had expected after the sharp pandemic-induced contraction in the spring of 2020. Stock returns were strong, and bond yields moved broadly higher.
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds are designed to reach an allocation of 70% bonds and 30% stocks within seven years after their target dates. The funds invest all of their assets in Vanguard index funds that seek to match the performance of broad stock and bond market indexes.
From their inception dates through September 30, the funds’ average annual returns ranged from 5.81% for the Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund to 9.26% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund.
In late September, Vanguard announced plans to merge each of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds into its corresponding Vanguard Target Retirement Fund. The mergers are scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market Barometer
  Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
  One Year Three Years Five Years
Stocks      
Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps) 30.96% 16.43% 17.11%
Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps) 47.68 10.54 13.45
Russell 3000 Index (Broad U.S. market) 31.88 16.00 16.85
FTSE All-World ex US Index (International) 24.73 8.49 9.28
Bonds      
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(Broad taxable market)
-0.90% 5.36% 2.94%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
(Broad tax-exempt market)
2.63 5.06 3.26
FTSE Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index 0.06 1.14 1.13
CPI      
Consumer Price Index 5.39% 2.81% 2.59%
1

About Your Fund’s Expenses
As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.
A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Institutional Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Institutional Target Retirement Fund.
The accompanying table illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:
Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The ”Ending Account Value“ shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.
To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading ”Expenses Paid During Period.“
Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund‘s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
Note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only. Further, the expenses do not include any purchase, redemption, or account service fees described in the fund prospectus. If such fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”
The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.
You can find more information about the fund’s expenses in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to your fund’s current prospectus.
2

Six Months Ended September 30, 2021      
  Beginning
Account Value
3/31/2021
Ending
Account Value
9/30/2021
Expenses
Paid During
Period
Based on Actual Fund Return      
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund $1,000.00 $1,031.20 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund $1,000.00 $1,032.50 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund $1,000.00 $1,038.00 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund $1,000.00 $1,041.50 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund $1,000.00 $1,044.70 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund $1,000.00 $1,047.90 $0.46
Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return      
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The underlying funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, and 0.09%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized average weighted expense ratio for the underlying funds multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period (183/365).
3

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund 8.59% 6.28% 5.81% $7,121,142
 Target Income Composite Index 8.71 6.49 6.00 7,201,198
 Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index -0.90 2.94 3.48 6,193,844
Target Income Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
4

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 37.2%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 17.4
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares 17.3
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 16.1
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 12.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
5

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.8%)
U.S. Stock Fund (17.3%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  15,629,501 1,689,549
International Stock Fund (11.8%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares  57,012,089 1,159,056
U.S. Bond Funds (53.8%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 323,969,860 3,602,545
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares  64,525,797 1,673,154
                    5,275,699
International Bond Fund (15.9%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  77,855,974 1,558,676
Total Investment Companies (Cost $8,509,278) 9,682,980
Temporary Cash Investments (1.2%)
Money Market Fund (1.2%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $118,953)   1,189,554          118,956
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $8,628,231)   9,801,936
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (919)
Net Assets (100%)   9,801,017
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
6

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 621 81,730 (941)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 246 52,862 (1,835)
        (2,776)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
7

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $8,628,231) 9,801,936
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 3,561
Receivables for Accrued Income 33,278
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 26,850
Total Assets 9,865,625
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 43,513
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 20,517
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 578
Total Liabilities 64,608
Net Assets 9,801,017

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 8,459,883
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 1,341,134
Net Assets 9,801,017
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 394,239,483 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
9,801,017
Net Asset Value Per Share $24.86
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
8

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 162,088
Net Investment Income—Note B 162,088
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 26,396
Affiliated Funds Sold 110,400
Futures Contracts 12,979
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 149,775
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 330,322
Futures Contracts (3,365)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 326,957
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 638,820
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
9

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 162,088 145,587
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 149,775 45,222
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 326,957 288,423
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 638,820 479,232
Distributions    
Total Distributions (189,887) (142,415)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 3,846,691 1,518,511
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 188,604 141,434
Redeemed (1,724,142) (1,297,709)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 2,311,153 362,236
Total Increase (Decrease) 2,760,086 699,053
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 7,040,931 6,341,878
End of Period 9,801,017 7,040,931
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
10

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $23.43 $22.27 $21.45 $21.27 $20.60
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .474 .499 .552 .537 .404
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .077 .002 .006
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 1.448 1.153 .860 .167 .667
Total from Investment Operations 1.999 1.652 1.412 .706 1.077
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.407) (.481) (.569) (.522) (.398)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.162) (.011) (.023) (.004) (.009)
Total Distributions (.569) (.492) (.592) (.526) (.407)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $24.86 $23.43 $22.27 $21.45 $21.27
Total Return 8.59% 7.52% 6.73% 3.34% 5.30%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $9,801 $7,041 $6,342 $5,661 $5,039
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.92% 2.21% 2.56% 2.50% 1.94%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 20% 21% 12% 13% 7%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
11

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
12

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
13

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 48,136
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 121,061
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 1,171,937
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 167,917 142,415
Long-Term Capital Gains 21,970
Total 189,887 142,415
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
14

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 8,629,999
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 1,200,139
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (28,202)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,171,937
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 155,863   67,103
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 7,684   6,279
Redeemed (69,778)   (57,622)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 93,769   15,760
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 28% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
15

Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 113,251 NA1 NA1 89 118,956
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 1,183,446 473,752 6,490 13 22,433 52,572 1,673,154
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 2,601,192 1,193,580 92,088 (1,720) (98,419) 54,968 24,620 3,602,545
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 1,109,628 72,466 1,161,566 57,195 (77,723) 6,732 1,776
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 1,561,229 (2,553) 1,920 1,558,676
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 827,368 269,722 106,615 12,609 155,972 25,156 1,159,056
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 1,221,485 416,379 321,230 42,303 330,612 20,651 1,689,549
Total 7,056,370 3,987,128 1,687,989 110,400 330,322 162,088 26,396 9,801,936
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
16

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund 9.65% 7.21% 6.38% $7,365,143
 Target 2015 Composite Index 9.78 7.43 6.59 7,458,428
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2015 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
17

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 36.4%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 18.6
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares 16.2
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 15.8
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 13.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
18

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.8%)
U.S. Stock Fund (18.4%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  18,561,204  2,006,466
International Stock Fund (12.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares  69,228,868  1,407,423
U.S. Bond Funds (51.9%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 353,313,940  3,928,851
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares  67,516,399  1,750,700
                     5,679,551
International Bond Fund (15.6%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  85,452,050  1,710,750
Total Investment Companies (Cost $9,162,943) 10,804,190
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $148,945)   1,489,498           148,950
Total Investments (100.2%) (Cost $9,311,888)   10,953,140
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.2%)   (19,413)
Net Assets (100%)   10,933,727
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
19

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 583 76,728 (1,046)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 290 62,318 (1,700)
        (2,746)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
20

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $9,311,888) 10,953,140
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 4,582
Receivables for Accrued Income 35,027
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 24,959
Total Assets 11,017,708
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 72,695
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 10,527
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 759
Total Liabilities 83,981
Net Assets 10,933,727

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 8,862,045
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 2,071,682
Net Assets 10,933,727
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 429,623,523 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
10,933,727
Net Asset Value Per Share $25.45
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
21

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 190,856
Net Investment Income—Note B 190,856
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 31,830
Affiliated Funds Sold 267,028
Futures Contracts 12,587
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 311,445
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 388,323
Futures Contracts (3,943)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 384,380
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 886,681
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
22

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 190,856 193,796
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 311,445 171,215
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 384,380 282,873
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 886,681 647,884
Distributions    
Total Distributions (307,039) (269,259)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 3,237,367 1,564,673
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 305,101 267,767
Redeemed (2,178,950) (1,945,930)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 1,363,518 (113,490)
Total Increase (Decrease) 1,943,160 265,135
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 8,990,567 8,725,432
End of Period 10,933,727 8,990,567
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
23

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $23.99 $22.96 $22.39 $21.87 $20.64
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .473 .510 .561 .536 .433
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .079 .002 .006
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 1.733 1.243 .716 .459 1.182
Total from Investment Operations 2.285 1.753 1.277 .997 1.621
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.395) (.579) (.537) (.449) (.381)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.430) (.144) (.170) (.028) (.010)
Total Distributions (.825) (.723) (.707) (.477) (.391)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $25.45 $23.99 $22.96 $22.39 $21.87
Total Return 9.65% 7.77% 6.08% 4.60% 8.02%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $10,934 $8,991 $8,725 $8,246 $7,614
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.89% 2.21% 2.55% 2.42% 2.07%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 24% 24% 16% 15% 10%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
24

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
25

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
26

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 152,543
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 279,269
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 1,639,870
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 173,806 236,738
Long-Term Capital Gains 133,233 32,521
Total 307,039 269,259
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
27

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 9,313,270
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 1,660,780
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (20,910)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,639,870
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 129,204   67,872
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 12,438   11,627
Redeemed (86,722)   (84,778)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 54,920   (5,279)
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 30% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
28

Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 135,139 NA1 NA1 94 148,950
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 1,321,667 410,980 8,117 (20) 26,190 56,098 1,750,700
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 3,143,956 1,058,177 154,357 (2,097) (116,828) 63,739 29,681 3,928,851
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 1,352,876 71,291 1,399,470 74,186 (98,883) 8,141 2,149
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 1,713,166 (2,416) 2,103 1,710,750
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 1,239,543 150,574 233,767 38,421 212,652 33,633 1,407,423
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 1,826,150 284,806 628,636 156,538 367,608 27,048 2,006,466
Total 9,019,331 3,688,994 2,424,347 267,028 388,323 190,856 31,830 10,953,140
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
29

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund 13.43% 8.64% 7.47% $7,852,800
 Target 2020 Composite Index 13.65 8.93 7.74 7,974,319
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2020 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
30

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 30.9%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 27.3
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 18.7
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 13.3
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares 9.8
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
31

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.9%)
U.S. Stock Fund (26.9%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  80,636,576  8,716,814
International Stock Fund (18.5%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 294,536,594  5,987,929
U.S. Bond Funds (40.3%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 889,140,344  9,887,242
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares 121,311,340  3,145,603
                    13,032,845
International Bond Fund (13.2%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 212,887,328  4,262,004
Total Investment Companies (Cost $25,826,881) 31,999,592
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $426,824)   4,268,267           426,826
Total Investments (100.2%) (Cost $26,253,705)   32,426,418
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.2%)   (52,185)
Net Assets (100%)   32,374,233
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
32

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,715 225,710 (3,125)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 862 185,233 (5,011)
        (8,136)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
33

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $26,253,705) 32,426,418
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 14,170
Receivables for Accrued Income 67,429
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 66,953
Total Assets 32,574,970
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 154,158
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 44,201
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 2,378
Total Liabilities 200,737
Net Assets 32,374,233

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 25,200,871
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 7,173,362
Net Assets 32,374,233
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,172,776,520 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
32,374,233
Net Asset Value Per Share $27.60
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
34

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 524,230
Net Investment Income—Note B 524,230
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 74,411
Affiliated Funds Sold 579,536
Futures Contracts 42,979
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 696,926
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 2,158,520
Futures Contracts (11,176)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,147,344
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 3,368,500
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
35

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 524,230 543,079
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 696,926 287,325
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,147,344 1,127,841
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 3,368,500 1,958,245
Distributions    
Total Distributions (753,921) (644,846)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 10,383,733 4,006,225
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 747,225 640,431
Redeemed (6,121,791) (5,337,752)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 5,009,167 (691,096)
Total Increase (Decrease) 7,623,746 622,303
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 24,750,487 24,128,184
End of Period 32,374,233 24,750,487
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
36

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $25.05 $23.69 $23.08 $22.23 $20.58
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .491 .532 .575 .532 .464
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .070 .001 .005
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 2.762 1.469 .585 .773 1.582
Total from Investment Operations 3.323 2.001 1.160 1.306 2.051
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.435) (.597) (.531) (.448) (.391)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.338) (.044) (.019) (.008) (.010)
Total Distributions (.773) (.641) (.550) (.456) (.401)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $27.60 $25.05 $23.69 $23.08 $22.23
Total Return 13.43% 8.55% 5.34% 5.92% 10.17%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $32,374 $24,750 $24,128 $21,839 $17,587
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.81% 2.23% 2.54% 2.35% 2.20%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 21% 24% 13% 8% 6%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
37

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
38

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
39

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 423,168
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 581,380
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 6,168,814
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 529,276 643,538
Long-Term Capital Gains 224,645 1,308
Total 753,921 644,846
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
40

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 26,257,604
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 6,245,518
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (76,704)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 6,168,814
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 383,053   167,623
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 28,498   26,519
Redeemed (226,685)   (224,861)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 184,866   (30,719)
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 35% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
41

Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 372,446 NA1 NA1 290 426,826
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 2,061,160 1,074,585 30,185 (35) 40,078 97,932 3,145,603
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 7,254,034 3,205,341 291,122 (3,519) (277,492) 153,291 69,390 9,887,242
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 3,145,209 210,989 3,297,681 156,047 (214,564) 18,968 5,021
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 4,268,790 (6,786) 5,208 4,262,004
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 4,855,341 877,086 705,878 65,990 895,390 136,398 5,987,929
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 7,146,298 1,062,016 1,574,447 361,053 1,721,894 112,143 8,716,814
Total 24,834,488 10,698,807 5,899,313 579,536 2,158,520 524,230 74,411 32,426,418
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
42

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund 16.06% 9.68% 8.21% $8,197,496
 Target 2025 Composite Index 16.34 9.99 8.50 8,334,199
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2025 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
43

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 34.0%
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 28.6
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 23.2
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 12.3
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares 1.9
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
44

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (33.5%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares   165,961,828 17,940,474
International Stock Fund (22.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares   601,529,958 12,229,104
U.S. Bond Funds (30.2%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 1,358,880,510 15,110,751
  Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares    39,632,009  1,027,658
                      16,138,409
International Bond Fund (12.1%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares   323,552,775  6,477,526
Total Investment Companies (Cost $41,990,000) 52,785,513
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $735,315)     7,353,296           735,330
Total Investments (100.1%) (Cost $42,725,315)   53,520,843
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.1%)   (48,682)
Net Assets (100%)   53,472,161
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
45

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,872 377,982 (5,652)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,464 314,595 (9,200)
        (14,852)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
46

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $42,725,315) 53,520,843
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 25,001
Receivables for Accrued Income 40,428
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 109,116
Total Assets 53,695,388
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 128,804
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 90,176
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 4,247
Total Liabilities 223,227
Net Assets 53,472,161

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 41,576,177
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 11,895,984
Net Assets 53,472,161
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,835,618,201 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
53,472,161
Net Asset Value Per Share $29.13
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
47

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 773,518
Net Investment Income—Note B 773,518
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 107,371
Affiliated Funds Sold 459,457
Futures Contracts 74,735
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 641,563
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 4,675,879
Futures Contracts (19,045)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,656,834
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,071,915
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
48

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 773,518 794,379
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 641,563 98,344
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,656,834 2,074,737
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,071,915 2,967,460
Distributions    
Total Distributions (830,728) (842,721)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 18,022,533 6,521,021
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 822,453 837,029
Redeemed (7,223,435) (6,207,898)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 11,621,551 1,150,152
Total Increase (Decrease) 16,862,738 3,274,891
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 36,609,423 33,334,532
End of Period 53,472,161 36,609,423
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $25.63 $24.07 $23.53 $22.46 $20.48
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .481 .553 .585 .528 .480
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .067 .001 .005
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 3.532 1.613 .494 .997 1.895
Total from Investment Operations 4.080 2.166 1.079 1.526 2.380
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.461) (.599) (.527) (.452) (.392)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.119) (.007) (.012) (.004) (.008)
Total Distributions (.580) (.606) (.539) (.456) (.400)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $29.13 $25.63 $24.07 $23.53 $22.46
Total Return 16.06% 9.08% 4.91% 6.85% 11.85%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $53,472 $36,609 $33,335 $28,058 $21,610
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.69% 2.28% 2.54% 2.29% 2.27%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 16% 24% 9% 9% 4%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
51

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
52

Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 595,837
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 509,532
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 10,790,615
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 717,134 842,721
Long-Term Capital Gains 113,594
Total 830,728 842,721
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 42,730,228
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 10,953,016
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (162,401)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 10,790,615
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 631,208   267,358
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 30,006   33,765
Redeemed (254,211)   (257,510)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 407,003   43,613
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 33% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 547,353 NA1 NA1 477 735,330
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 179,052 847,517 2,018 (2) 3,109 27,428 1,027,658
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 10,119,894 5,636,358 237,449 (4,055) (403,997) 225,411 100,431 15,110,751
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 4,358,832 459,987 4,733,954 180,656 (265,521) 26,893 6,940
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 6,488,485 (10,959) 7,934 6,477,526
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 8,655,791 2,459,853 634,605 28,784 1,719,281 266,520 12,229,104
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 12,917,181 2,724,643 1,589,390 254,074 3,633,966 218,855 17,940,474
Total 36,778,103 18,616,843 7,197,416 459,457 4,675,879 773,518 107,371 53,520,843
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund 18.40% 10.49% 8.74% $8,452,741
 Target 2030 Composite Index 18.70 10.82 9.05 8,602,421
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2030 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 39.0%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 26.4
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 24.1
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 10.5
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (38.5%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares   204,323,841 22,087,407
International Stock Fund (26.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares   734,166,251 14,925,600
U.S. Bond Fund (23.8%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 1,226,504,011 13,638,725
International Bond Fund (10.3%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares   295,636,353  5,918,640
Total Investment Companies (Cost $44,847,071) 56,570,372
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $765,799)     7,658,193           765,819
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $45,612,870)   57,336,191
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (19,273)
Net Assets (100%)   57,316,918
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 3,092 406,936 (5,611)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,797 386,153 (11,825)
        (17,436)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $45,612,870) 57,336,191
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 25,001
Receivables for Accrued Income 21,096
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 99,883
Total Assets 57,482,171
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 96,866
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 64,150
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 4,237
Total Liabilities 165,253
Net Assets 57,316,918

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 44,659,978
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 12,656,940
Net Assets 57,316,918
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,902,487,525 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
57,316,918
Net Asset Value Per Share $30.13
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 795,783
Net Investment Income—Note B 795,783
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 88,159
Affiliated Funds Sold 253,137
Futures Contracts 83,018
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 424,314
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 5,690,285
Futures Contracts (21,914)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 5,668,371
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,888,468
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 795,783 746,980
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 424,314 58,291
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 5,668,371 2,190,910
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,888,468 2,996,181
Distributions    
Total Distributions (746,753) (793,596)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 20,742,185 6,940,338
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 737,804 786,523
Redeemed (6,115,307) (5,358,586)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 15,364,682 2,368,275
Total Increase (Decrease) 21,506,397 4,570,860
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 35,810,521 31,239,661
End of Period 57,316,918 35,810,521
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $25.93 $24.27 $23.89 $22.61 $20.36
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .494 .548 .582 .531 .485
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .055 .001 .004
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 4.183 1.724 .330 1.201 2.160
Total from Investment Operations 4.732 2.272 .912 1.733 2.649
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.463) (.607) (.529) (.450) (.393)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.069) (.005) (.003) (.003) (.006)
Total Distributions (.532) (.612) (.532) (.453) (.399)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $30.13 $25.93 $24.27 $23.89 $22.61
Total Return 18.40% 9.43% 4.15% 7.73% 13.27%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $57,317 $35,811 $31,240 $25,819 $19,142
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.69% 2.24% 2.51% 2.27% 2.29%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 12% 21% 8% 7% 4%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
63

Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
64

Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. As of period end, permanent differences primarily attributable to the accounting for distributions in connection with fund share redemptions were reclassified between the following accounts:
  Amount
($000)
Paid-in Capital 16
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) (16)
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 634,031
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 303,758
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 11,719,151
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 685,507 793,596
Long-Term Capital Gains 61,246
Total 746,753 793,596
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 45,617,040
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 11,933,098
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (213,947)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 11,719,151
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 703,832   282,498
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 26,266   31,248
Redeemed (208,630)   (219,634)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 521,468   94,112
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 33% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 580,490 NA1 NA1 521 765,819
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 8,036,440 6,032,356 89,819 (2,608) (337,644) 193,478 82,432 13,638,725
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 3,492,730 517,528 3,939,291 127,668 (198,635) 22,144 5,727
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 5,930,946 (12,306) 7,194 5,918,640
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 9,559,971 3,884,217 460,323 16,233 1,925,502 312,928 14,925,600
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 14,289,289 4,436,002 1,063,096 111,844 4,313,368 259,518 22,087,407
Total 35,958,920 20,801,049 5,552,529 253,137 5,690,285 795,783 88,159 57,336,191
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
68

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund 20.70% 11.29% 9.26% $8,708,988
 Target 2035 Composite Index 21.09 11.63 9.58 8,869,828
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2035 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
69

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 43.7%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 29.4
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 18.7
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 8.2
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (43.1%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 208,807,268 22,572,066
International Stock Fund (29.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 747,994,991 15,206,738
U.S. Bond Fund (18.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 869,438,829  9,668,159
International Bond Fund (8.1%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 212,595,028  4,256,152
Total Investment Companies (Cost $39,798,933) 51,703,115
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $698,859)   6,988,837           698,884
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $40,497,792)   52,401,999
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (6,671)
Net Assets (100%)   52,395,328
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
71

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,657 349,686 (4,967)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,433 307,934 (9,224)
        (14,191)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
72

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $40,497,792) 52,401,999
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 22,864
Receivables for Accrued Income 15,009
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 83,215
Total Assets 52,523,087
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 60,008
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 63,956
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 3,795
Total Liabilities 127,759
Net Assets 52,395,328

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 39,690,486
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 12,704,842
Net Assets 52,395,328
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,686,636,020 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
52,395,328
Net Asset Value Per Share $31.06
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
73

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 745,901
Net Investment Income—Note B 745,901
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 62,347
Affiliated Funds Sold 176,598
Futures Contracts 70,336
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 309,281
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 6,055,909
Futures Contracts (15,211)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 6,040,698
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,095,880
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
74

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 745,901 670,020
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 309,281 56,564
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 6,040,698 2,125,476
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,095,880 2,852,060
Distributions    
Total Distributions (688,077) (710,973)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 17,931,054 6,240,319
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 680,891 705,511
Redeemed (5,534,241) (4,761,576)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 13,077,704 2,184,254
Total Increase (Decrease) 19,485,507 4,325,341
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 32,909,821 28,584,480
End of Period 52,395,328 32,909,821
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
75

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.22 $24.47 $24.25 $22.78 $20.23
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .516 .544 .579 .533 .489
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .043 .001 .003
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 4.823 1.813 .174 1.394 2.457
Total from Investment Operations 5.382 2.357 .753 1.928 2.949
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.484) (.606) (.528) (.454) (.394)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.058) (.001) (.005) (.004) (.005)
Total Distributions (.542) (.607) (.533) (.458) (.399)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $31.06 $26.22 $24.47 $24.25 $22.78
Total Return 20.70% 9.70% 3.45% 8.54% 14.85%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $52,395 $32,910 $28,584 $23,762 $17,576
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.72% 2.20% 2.47% 2.25% 2.30%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 10% 18% 7% 8% 4%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
76

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
77

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 578,485
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 226,946
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 11,899,411
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended
September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 635,084 710,973
Long-Term Capital Gains 52,993
Total 688,077 710,973
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
79

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 40,502,588
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 12,082,722
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (183,311)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 11,899,411
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 591,257   252,004
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 23,741   27,602
Redeemed (183,454)   (192,853)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 431,544   86,753
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 32% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
80

Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 528,595 NA1 NA1 470 698,884
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 5,496,624 4,548,698 135,979 (2,428) (238,756) 137,511 58,257 9,668,159
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 2,577,138 286,380 2,813,180 86,864 (137,202) 15,941 4,090
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 4,265,432 (9,280) 5,067 4,256,152
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 9,790,756 3,862,657 447,724 15,907 1,985,142 321,253 15,206,738
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 14,649,147 4,217,874 827,215 76,255 4,456,005 265,659 22,572,066
Total 33,042,260 17,181,041 4,224,098 176,598 6,055,909 745,901 62,347 52,401,999
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
81

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Chester Funds and Shareholders of Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund and Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund
Opinions on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund and Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund (six of the funds constituting Vanguard Chester Funds, hereafter collectively referred to as the "Funds") as of September 30, 2021, the related statements of operations for the year ended September 30, 2021, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of September 30, 2021, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended September 30, 2021 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinions
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of September 30, 2021 by correspondence with the transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 17, 2021
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Vanguard Group of Funds since 1975.
82


Special 2021 tax information (unaudited) for Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds
This information for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, is included pursuant to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
The funds distributed capital gain dividends (20% rate gain distributions) to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund 21,970
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund 133,233
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund 224,645
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund 113,594
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund 61,246
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund 52,993
For nonresident alien shareholders, 100% of short-term capital gain dividends distributed by the funds are qualified short-term capital gains.
The funds distributed qualified dividend income to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund 37,147
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund 48,210
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund 189,584
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund 346,962
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund 384,113
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund 400,864
For corporate shareholders, the percentage of investment income (dividend income plus short-term gains, if any) that qualifies for the dividends-received deduction is as follows:
Fund Percentage
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund 10.0%
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund 11.5
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund 17.1
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund 23.0
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund 26.0
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund 29.2
83

The funds designate to shareholders foreign source income and foreign taxes paid as follows:
Fund Foreign Source Income
($000)
Foreign Taxes Paid
($000)
Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund 35,010 2,484
Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund 45,859 3,304
Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund 170,301 13,122
Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund 321,332 25,436
Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund 366,720 29,678
Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund 368,990 30,334
Shareholders will receive more detailed information with their Form 1099-DIV in January 2022 to determine the calendar-year amounts to be included on their 2021 tax returns.
84

"Bloomberg®," Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index, Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0–5 Year Index, and Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged) (the Indices) are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (BISL), the administrator of the Indices (collectively, Bloomberg), and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
The Institutional Target Retirement Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Bloomberg. Bloomberg does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of or counterparties to the Institutional Target Retirement Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Institutional Target Retirement Funds particularly. The only relationship of Bloomberg to Vanguard is the licensing of certain trademarks, trade names and service marks and of the Indices, which are determined, composed and calculated by BISL without regard to Vanguard or the Institutional Target Retirement Funds. Bloomberg has no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Bloomberg is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds to be issued. Bloomberg shall not have any obligation or liability, including, without limitation, to the Institutional Target Retirement Funds’ customers, in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds.
BLOOMBERG DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, BLOOMBERG, ITS LICENSORS, AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND VENDORS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGES—WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR OTHERWISE—ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR THE INDICES OR ANY DATA OR VALUES RELATING THERETO—WHETHER ARISING FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.
© 2021 Bloomberg.
Used with Permission. Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. Copyright 2021, Bloomberg. All rights reserved.
85

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The People Who Govern Your Fund
The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them.
A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals. The independent board members have distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service. Each of the trustees and executive officers oversees 212 Vanguard funds.
Information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund appears below. That information, as well as the Vanguard fund count, is as of the date on the cover of this fund report. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482. More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained, without charge, by contacting Vanguard at 800-662-7447, or online at vanguard.com.
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley
Born in 1969. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood
Born in 1948. Trustee since January 2008. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.
Amy Gutmann
Born in 1949. Trustee since June 2006. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
 
1 Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, because he is an officer of the Vanguard funds.

F. Joseph Loughrey
Born in 1949. Trustee since October 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation. Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.
Mark Loughridge
Born in 1953. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.
Scott C. Malpass
Born in 1962. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chief investment officer (retired June 2020) and vice president (retired June 2020) of the University of Notre Dame. Assistant professor (retired June 2020) of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.
Deanna Mulligan
Born in 1963. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
André F. Perold
Born in 1952. Trustee since December 2004. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies (private investment firm). Member of the board (2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm). Member of the investment committee of Partners Health Care System.
Sarah Bloom Raskin
Born in 1961. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Professor (2020–present), Distinguished Fellow of the Global Financial Markets Center (2020–present), and Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) at Duke University. Trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present). Member of the Regenerative Crisis Response Committee (2020–present).
David A. Thomas
Born in 1956. Trustee since July 2021. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president of Morehouse College (2018–present). Professor of business administration, emeritus at Harvard University (2017–2018). Dean (2011–2016) and professor of management (2016–2017) at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Director of DTE Energy Company (2013–present). Trustee of Common Fund (2019–present).
Peter F. Volanakis
Born in 1955. Trustee since July 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.

Executive Officers
John Bendl
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
Christine M. Buchanan
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
David Cermak
Born in 1960. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.
John Galloway
Born in 1973. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy assistant to the President of the United States (2015).
Peter Mahoney
Born in 1974. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008–2014) at Vanguard.
Anne E. Robinson
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: general counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.
Michael Rollings
Born in 1963. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.
John E. Schadl
Born in 1972. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
Vanguard Senior Management Team
Matthew Benchener Thomas M. Rampulla
Joseph Brennan Karin A. Risi
Mortimer J. Buckley Anne E. Robinson
Gregory Davis Michael Rollings
John James Nitin Tandon
John T. Marcante Lauren Valente
Chris D. McIsaac  

Connect with Vanguard®>vanguard.com
Fund Information > 800-662-7447
Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739
Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036
Text Telephone for People
Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing > 800-749-7273
This material may be used in conjunction with the offering of shares of any Vanguard fund only if preceded or accompanied by the fund’s current prospectus.
All comparative mutual fund data are from Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.
You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting guidelines by visiting vanguard.com/proxyreporting or by calling Vanguard at 800-662-2739. The guidelines are also available from the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30. To get the report, visit either vanguard.com/proxyreporting or www.sec.gov.
You can review information about your fund on the SEC’s website, and you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a request via email addressed to publicinfo@sec.gov.
© 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.
Q6730 112021

 

 

Annual Report  |  September 30, 2021
Vanguard Institutional Target
Retirement Funds
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund

Contents
Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the front of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2021, returns for the six Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds covered in this report ranged from 23.12% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund to 25.79% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund. (The funds with target dates of 2015 through 2035, as well as the Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund, are covered in a separate report.)
The global economy rebounded faster than many had expected after the sharp pandemic-induced contraction in the spring of 2020. Stock returns were strong and bond yields moved broadly higher.
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds are designed to reach an allocation of 70% bonds and 30% stocks within seven years after their target dates. The funds invest all their assets in Vanguard index funds that seek to match the performance of broad stock and bond market indexes.
From their inception dates through September 30, the funds’ average annual returns ranged from 9.76% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund to 12.07% for the Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund.
In late September, Vanguard announced plans to merge each of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds into its corresponding Vanguard Target Retirement Fund. The mergers are scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market Barometer
  Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
  One Year Three Years Five Years
Stocks      
Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps) 30.96% 16.43% 17.11%
Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps) 47.68 10.54 13.45
Russell 3000 Index (Broad U.S. market) 31.88 16.00 16.85
FTSE All-World ex US Index (International) 24.73 8.49 9.28
Bonds      
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(Broad taxable market)
-0.90% 5.36% 2.94%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
(Broad tax-exempt market)
2.63 5.06 3.26
FTSE Three-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index 0.06 1.14 1.13
CPI      
Consumer Price Index 5.39% 2.81% 2.59%
1

About Your Fund’s Expenses
As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.
A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Institutional Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Institutional Target Retirement Fund.
The accompanying table illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:
Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The ”Ending Account Value“ shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.
To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading ”Expenses Paid During Period.“
Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund‘s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
Note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only. Further, the expenses do not include any purchase, redemption, or account service fees described in the fund prospectus. If such fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”
The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.
You can find more information about the fund’s expenses in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to your fund’s current prospectus.
2

Six Months Ended September 30, 2021      
  Beginning
Account Value
3/31/2021
Ending
Account Value
9/30/2021
Expenses
Paid During
Period
Based on Actual Fund Return      
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund $1,000.00 $1,051.20 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.40 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.90 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund $1,000.00 $1,055.10 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund $1,000.00 $1,055.20 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund $1,000.00 $1,054.80 $0.46
Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return      
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund $1,000.00 $1,024.62 $0.46
The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The underlying funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, 0.09%, and 0.09%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized average weighted expense ratio for the underlying funds multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period (183/365).
3

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund 23.12% 12.08% 9.76% $ 8,961,018
 Target 2040 Composite Index 23.51 12.42 10.11 9,137,340
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2040 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
4

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 48.2%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 32.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 13.4
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 5.9
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
5

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (47.6%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 214,176,739 23,152,505
International Stock Fund (32.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 768,111,553 15,615,708
U.S. Bond Fund (13.2%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 576,181,802  6,407,142
International Bond Fund (5.8%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 141,731,054  2,837,456
Total Investment Companies (Cost $36,529,112) 48,012,811
Temporary Cash Investments (1.3%)
Money Market Fund (1.3%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $664,035)   6,640,516            664,052
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $37,193,147)   48,676,863
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (21,777)
Net Assets (100%)   48,655,086
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
6

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,420 318,495 (4,623)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,575 338,448 (10,219)
        (14,842)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
7

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $37,193,147) 48,676,863
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 21,794
Receivables for Accrued Income 9,976
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 65,720
Total Assets 48,774,353
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 65,488
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 50,072
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 3,707
Total Liabilities 119,267
Net Assets 48,655,086

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 36,513,032
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 12,142,054
Net Assets 48,655,086
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,518,541,486 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
48,655,086
Net Asset Value Per Share $32.04
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
8

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 695,437
Net Investment Income—Note B 695,437
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 39,605
Affiliated Funds Sold 88,407
Futures Contracts 65,342
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 193,354
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 6,189,863
Futures Contracts (15,687)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 6,174,176
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,062,967
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
9

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 695,437 579,993
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 193,354 31,045
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 6,174,176 1,990,348
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 7,062,967 2,601,386
Distributions    
Total Distributions (588,311) (616,023)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 17,128,312 5,669,183
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 581,926 610,821
Redeemed (4,679,409) (4,173,157)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 13,030,829 2,106,847
Total Increase (Decrease) 19,505,485 4,092,210
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 29,149,601 25,057,391
End of Period 48,655,086 29,149,601
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
10

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.49 $24.66 $24.61 $22.93 $20.10
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .541 .539 .575 .535 .494
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .031 .002
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 5.503 1.898 (.005) 1.601 2.730
Total from Investment Operations 6.075 2.437 .570 2.136 3.226
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.490) (.604) (.519) (.453) (.393)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.035) (.003) (.001) (.003) (.003)
Total Distributions (.525) (.607) (.520) (.456) (.396)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $32.04 $26.49 $24.66 $24.61 $22.93
Total Return 23.12% 9.93% 2.65% 9.39% 16.35%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $48,655 $29,150 $25,057 $20,798 $14,863
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.75% 2.17% 2.43% 2.24% 2.32%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 7% 15% 5% 7% 5%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
11

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
12

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
13

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 532,850
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 130,104
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 11,479,100
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 588,311 616,023
Long-Term Capital Gains
Total 588,311 616,023
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
14

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 37,197,763
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 11,652,616
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (173,516)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 11,479,100
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 549,409   228,010
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 19,861   23,538
Redeemed (150,980)   (167,248)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 418,290   84,300
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 32% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
15

Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 468,264 NA 1 NA 1 452 664,052
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 3,423,411 3,257,217 121,649 (2,480) (149,357) 89,226 37,111 6,407,142
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 1,546,657 264,301 1,778,605 47,435 (79,788) 9,936 2,494
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 2,844,722 (7,266) 3,292 2,837,456
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 9,555,147 4,471,206 371,142 6,566 1,953,931 323,714 15,615,708
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 14,275,273 4,950,540 582,537 36,886 4,472,343 268,817 23,152,505
Total 29,268,752 15,787,986 2,853,933 88,407 6,189,863 695,437 39,605 48,676,863
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
16

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund 25.49% 12.65% 10.22% $ 9,196,953
 Target 2045 Composite Index 25.98 13.01 10.57 9,380,843
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2045 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
17

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 52.7%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 35.7
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 8.0
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 3.6
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
18

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (52.0%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 203,200,743 21,966,000
International Stock Fund (35.2%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 732,125,894 14,884,120
U.S. Bond Fund (7.9%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 298,136,241  3,315,275
International Bond Fund (3.6%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  75,225,063  1,506,006
Total Investment Companies (Cost $31,224,660) 41,671,401
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $612,590)   6,126,155            612,615
Total Investments (100.1%) (Cost $31,837,250)   42,284,016
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.1%)   (52,437)
Net Assets (100%)   42,231,579
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
19

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 2,088 274,800 (3,998)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 1,290 277,205 (9,406)
        (13,404)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
20

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $31,837,250) 42,284,016
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 20,798
Receivables for Accrued Income 5,177
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 61,201
Total Assets 42,371,192
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 90,151
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 45,898
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 3,564
Total Liabilities 139,613
Net Assets 42,231,579

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 31,246,362
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 10,985,217
Net Assets 42,231,579
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,282,370,125 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
42,231,579
Net Asset Value Per Share $32.93
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
21

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 614,091
Net Investment Income—Note B 614,091
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 19,461
Affiliated Funds Sold 45,615
Futures Contracts 59,598
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 124,674
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 5,948,739
Futures Contracts (14,058)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 5,934,681
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,673,446
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
22

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 614,091 488,119
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 124,674 20,327
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 5,934,681 1,772,563
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 6,673,446 2,281,009
Distributions    
Total Distributions (496,502) (515,800)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 14,819,188 5,171,573
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 491,453 511,684
Redeemed (4,322,166) (3,690,228)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 10,988,475 1,993,029
Total Increase (Decrease) 17,165,419 3,758,238
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 25,066,160 21,307,922
End of Period 42,231,579 25,066,160
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
23

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.70 $24.79 $24.86 $23.05 $20.11
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .564 .534 .574 .538 .497
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .018 .001
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 6.171 1.976 (.130) 1.730 2.833
Total from Investment Operations 6.753 2.510 .444 2.268 3.331
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.499) (.600) (.512) (.454) (.389)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.024) (.002) (.004) (.002)
Total Distributions (.523) (.600) (.514) (.458) (.391)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $32.93 $26.70 $24.79 $24.86 $23.05
Total Return 25.49% 10.17% 2.13% 9.92% 16.87%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $42,232 $25,066 $21,308 $17,383 $12,054
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.78% 2.13% 2.41% 2.23% 2.33%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 12% 4% 6% 5%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
24

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
25

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
26

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 472,517
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 72,211
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 10,440,489
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 496,502 515,800
Long-Term Capital Gains
Total 496,502 515,800
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
27

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 31,843,527
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 10,580,554
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (140,065)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 10,440,489
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 463,056   206,754
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 16,470   19,500
Redeemed (135,865)   (147,252)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 343,661   79,002
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 31% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
28

Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 406,087 NA 1 NA 1 387 612,615
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 1,590,003 1,963,773 163,555 (3,020) (71,926) 45,594 18,192 3,315,275
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 777,620 130,480 891,841 26,542 (42,801) 5,007 1,269
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 1,510,915 (4,909) 1,654 1,506,006
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 8,963,443 4,405,761 323,583 2,631 1,835,868 306,905 14,884,120
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 13,428,361 4,881,850 596,180 19,462 4,232,507 254,544 21,966,000
Total 25,165,514 12,892,779 1,975,159 45,615 5,948,739 614,091 19,461 42,284,016
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
29

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund 25.78% 12.70% 10.26% $ 9,219,111
 Target 2050 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 10.62 9,405,632
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2050 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
30

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 53.9%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.6
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 3.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
31

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.2%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 169,903,728 18,366,593
International Stock Fund (36.1%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 612,520,133 12,452,534
U.S. Bond Fund (6.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 203,079,457  2,258,244
International Bond Fund (2.9%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  50,858,975  1,018,197
Total Investment Companies (Cost $26,151,021) 34,095,568
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $491,423)   4,914,454            491,445
Total Investments (100.1%) (Cost $26,642,444)   34,587,013
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.1%)   (50,609)
Net Assets (100%)   34,536,404
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
32

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 1,881 247,557 (3,570)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 899 193,184 (7,066)
        (10,636)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
33

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $26,642,444) 34,587,013
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 16,425
Receivables for Accrued Income 3,526
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 70,075
Total Assets 34,677,039
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 105,878
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 31,980
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 2,777
Total Liabilities 140,635
Net Assets 34,536,404

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 26,163,780
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 8,372,624
Net Assets 34,536,404
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 1,044,686,283 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
34,536,404
Net Asset Value Per Share $33.06
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
34

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 493,331
Net Investment Income—Note B 493,331
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 13,847
Affiliated Funds Sold 26,770
Futures Contracts 51,231
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 91,848
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 4,726,527
Futures Contracts (11,653)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,714,874
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 5,300,053
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
35

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 493,331 373,672
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 91,848 22,514
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,714,874 1,396,165
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 5,300,053 1,792,351
Distributions    
Total Distributions (394,764) (384,152)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 13,233,773 4,693,363
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 390,593 381,102
Redeemed (3,507,696) (2,955,065)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 10,116,670 2,119,400
Total Increase (Decrease) 15,021,959 3,527,599
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 19,514,445 15,986,846
End of Period 34,536,404 19,514,445
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
36

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.75 $24.82 $24.88 $23.07 $20.11
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .569 .535 .577 .542 .503
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .016 .001
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 6.257 1.988 (.134) 1.718 2.838
Total from Investment Operations 6.842 2.523 .443 2.260 3.342
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.496) (.593) (.502) (.445) (.380)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.036) (.001) (.005) (.002)
Total Distributions (.532) (.593) (.503) (.450) (.382)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $33.06 $26.75 $24.82 $24.88 $23.07
Total Return 25.78% 10.21% 2.11% 9.88% 16.92%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $34,536 $19,514 $15,987 $12,350 $7,950
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.79% 2.14% 2.42% 2.24% 2.34%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 12% 3% 5% 5%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
37

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
38

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
39

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 378,130
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 54,428
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 7,940,066
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 394,764 384,152
Long-Term Capital Gains
Total 394,764 384,152
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
40

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 26,646,947
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 8,069,262
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (129,196)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 7,940,066
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 412,477   188,111
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 13,059   14,496
Redeemed (110,277)   (117,322)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 315,259   85,285
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 31% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
41

Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 315,339 NA 1 NA 1 304 491,445
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 1,188,785 1,293,657 172,495 (3,425) (48,278) 32,029 12,867 2,258,244
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 597,596 88,762 674,161 18,926 (31,123) 3,811 980
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 1,021,880 (3,683) 1,091 1,018,197
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 7,004,475 4,164,098 150,962 (155) 1,435,078 248,595 12,452,534
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 10,483,053 4,951,852 454,269 11,424 3,374,533 207,501 18,366,593
Total 19,589,248 11,520,249 1,451,887 26,770 4,726,527 493,331 13,847 34,587,013
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
42

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund 25.78% 12.72% 10.27% $ 9,225,455
 Target 2055 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 10.62 9,405,632
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2055 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
43

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 53.9%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.5
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.6
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 3.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
44

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.7%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.2%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  99,318,830 10,736,366
International Stock Fund (36.0%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 357,291,911  7,263,745
U.S. Bond Fund (6.6%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 119,287,355  1,326,475
International Bond Fund (2.9%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  29,539,134    591,373
Total Investment Companies (Cost $15,779,107) 19,917,959
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $285,937)   2,859,540            285,954
Total Investments (100.1%) (Cost $16,065,044)   20,203,913
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (-0.1%)   (15,754)
Net Assets (100%)   20,188,159
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
45

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 962 126,608 (1,845)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 694 149,132 (5,459)
        (7,304)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
46

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $16,065,044) 20,203,913
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 9,539
Receivables for Accrued Income 2,070
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 46,803
Total Assets 20,262,325
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 48,918
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 23,599
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 1,649
Total Liabilities 74,166
Net Assets 20,188,159

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 15,801,689
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 4,386,470
Net Assets 20,188,159
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 609,081,031 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
20,188,159
Net Asset Value Per Share $33.15
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
47

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 281,647
Net Investment Income—Note B 281,647
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 7,848
Affiliated Funds Sold 12,721
Futures Contracts 34,582
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 55,151
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 2,631,250
Futures Contracts (8,264)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,622,986
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 2,959,784
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
48

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 281,647 199,278
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 55,151 30,510
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 2,622,986 750,933
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 2,959,784 980,721
Distributions    
Total Distributions (236,420) (190,256)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 8,609,362 3,355,236
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 233,564 188,762
Redeemed (2,151,963) (1,524,928)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 6,690,963 2,019,070
Total Increase (Decrease) 9,414,327 2,809,535
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 10,773,832 7,964,297
End of Period 20,188,159 10,773,832
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
49

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.86 $24.89 $24.92 $23.10 $20.11
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .574 .539 .582 .547 .506
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .016 .001
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 6.275 2.001 (.125) 1.709 2.845
Total from Investment Operations 6.865 2.540 .457 2.256 3.352
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.491) (.569) (.486) (.430) (.360)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.084) (.001) (.001) (.006) (.002)
Total Distributions (.575) (.570) (.487) (.436) (.362)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $33.15 $26.86 $24.89 $24.92 $23.10
Total Return 25.78% 10.24% 2.16% 9.84% 16.95%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $20,188 $10,774 $7,964 $5,489 $3,213
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.80% 2.14% 2.44% 2.26% 2.36%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 5% 10% 3% 5% 6%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 2% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
51

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
52

Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 219,662
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 30,251
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 4,136,557
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 224,172 190,089
Long-Term Capital Gains 12,248 167
Total 236,420 190,256
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 16,067,356
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 4,224,196
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (87,639)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 4,136,557
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 267,894   134,161
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 7,788   7,153
Redeemed (67,660)   (60,222)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 208,022   81,092
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 31% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 174,323 NA 1 NA 1 174 285,954
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 709,266 768,506 121,584 (1,533) (28,180) 18,476 7,326 1,326,475
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 318,351 46,207 358,086 8,255 (14,727) 2,026 522
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 593,600 (2,227) 647 591,373
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 3,873,901 2,699,091 95,692 (535) 786,980 141,715 7,263,745
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 5,743,611 3,363,425 266,608 6,534 1,889,404 118,609 10,736,366
Total 10,819,452 7,470,829 841,970 12,721 2,631,250 281,647 7,848 20,203,913
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
55

Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: June 26, 2015, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Five
Years
Since
Inception
(6/26/2015)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund 25.79% 12.72% 10.27% $ 9,223,870
 Target 2060 Composite Index 26.28 13.07 10.62 9,405,632
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.95 14.16 11,457,681
Target 2060 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: for international stocks, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index; for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index; for international bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged; and for U.S. stocks, the CRSP US Total Market Index. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 54.0%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.4
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.6
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 3.0
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.6%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.3%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  41,461,321 4,481,969
International Stock Fund (35.9%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 148,357,339 3,016,104
U.S. Bond Fund (6.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares  49,468,075   550,085
International Bond Fund (2.9%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  12,295,540   246,157
Total Investment Companies (Cost $6,827,828) 8,294,315
Temporary Cash Investments (1.4%)
Money Market Fund (1.4%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $116,238)   1,162,421           116,242
Total Investments (100.0%) (Cost $6,944,066)   8,410,557
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.0%)   (2,744)
Net Assets (100%)   8,407,813
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
58

Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 473 62,251 (861)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 225 48,350 (1,500)
        (2,361)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $6,944,066) 8,410,557
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 4,002
Receivables for Accrued Income 850
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 27,318
Total Assets 8,442,727
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 18,807
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 15,436
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 671
Total Liabilities 34,914
Net Assets 8,407,813

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 6,846,320
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 1,561,493
Net Assets 8,407,813
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 252,884,382 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
8,407,813
Net Asset Value Per Share $33.25
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
60

Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 111,762
Net Investment Income—Note B 111,762
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 3,086
Affiliated Funds Sold 1,067
Futures Contracts 12,339
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 16,492
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 992,209
Futures Contracts (2,754)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 989,455
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,117,709
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 111,762 69,225
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 16,492 9,442
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 989,455 277,971
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 1,117,709 356,638
Distributions    
Total Distributions (84,702) (60,380)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 4,327,973 1,671,562
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 83,464 59,794
Redeemed (998,146) (618,606)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 3,413,291 1,112,750
Total Increase (Decrease) 4,446,298 1,409,008
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 3,961,515 2,552,507
End of Period 8,407,813 3,961,515
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30,
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $26.91 $24.90 $24.92 $23.08 $20.10
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income1 .581 .542 .589 .554 .511
Capital Gain Distributions Received1 .016 .001
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 6.286 2.012 (.132) 1.699 2.828
Total from Investment Operations 6.883 2.554 .457 2.253 3.340
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.472) (.544) (.476) (.409) (.359)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.071) (.000) 2 (.001) (.004) (.001)
Total Distributions (.543) (.544) (.477) (.413) (.360)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $33.25 $26.91 $24.90 $24.92 $23.08
Total Return 25.79% 10.30% 2.15% 9.83% 16.90%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $8,408 $3,962 $2,553 $1,535 $809
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.81% 2.15% 2.46% 2.29% 2.38%
Portfolio Turnover Rate 6% 9% 3% 5% 7%
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Distribution was less than $.001 per share.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
63

Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 1% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
64

Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 86,901
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 10,377
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 1,464,215
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 80,096 60,380
Long-Term Capital Gains 4,606
Total 84,702 60,380
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 6,946,342
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 1,511,548
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (47,333)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 1,464,215
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 134,167   67,012
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 2,775   2,263
Redeemed (31,253)   (24,595)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 105,689   44,680
At September 30, 2021, one shareholder was the record or beneficial owner of 29% of the fund’s net assets. If this shareholder were to redeem its investment in the fund, the redemption might lead to the realization of taxable capital gains.
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Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 63,880 NA 1 NA 1 68 116,242
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 268,177 365,109 71,383 (711) (11,107) 7,310 2,906 550,085
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 109,718 29,463 136,676 2,100 (4,605) 740 180
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 247,136 (979) 272 246,157
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 1,415,505 1,332,073 20,366 (268) 289,160 56,107 3,016,104
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 2,118,816 1,786,510 143,043 (54) 719,740 47,265 4,481,969
Total 3,976,096 3,760,291 371,468 1,067 992,209 111,762 3,086 8,410,557
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
68

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Performance Summary
All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.
Cumulative Performance: July 12, 2017, Through September 30, 2021
Initial Investment of $5,000,000
      Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended September 30, 2021
    One
Year
Since
Inception
(7/12/2017)
Final Value
of a $5,000,000
Investment
 Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund 25.74% 12.07% $8,087,164
 Target 2065 Composite Index 26.28 12.44 8,200,801
 MSCI US Broad Market Index 32.45 16.59 9,555,506
Target 2065 Composite Index: Derived by applying the fund’s target asset allocation to the results of the following benchmarks: the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index for international stocks, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index for U.S. bonds, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index Hedged for international bonds, and the CRSP US Total Market Index for U.S. stocks. International stock benchmark returns are adjusted for withholding taxes.
"Since Inception" performance is calculated from the fund's inception date for both the fund and its comparative standard(s).
See Financial Highlights for dividend and capital gains information.
69

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Underlying Vanguard Funds
As of September 30, 2021
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares 54.1%
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 36.3
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares 6.7
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares 2.9
The table reflects the fund’s investments, except for short-term investments and derivatives.
70

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Financial Statements
Schedule of Investments
As of September 30, 2021
The fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
          Shares Market
Value

($000)
Investment Companies (98.4%)
U.S. Stock Fund (53.3%)
  Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Shares  6,665,270   720,516
International Stock Fund (35.7%)
  Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Investor Shares 23,778,483   483,416
U.S. Bond Fund (6.5%)
1 Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Investor Shares  7,964,024    88,560
International Bond Fund (2.9%)
1 Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Admiral Shares  1,950,479    39,049
Total Investment Companies (Cost $1,153,285) 1,331,541
Temporary Cash Investments (1.5%)
Money Market Fund (1.5%)
1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 0.068% (Cost $19,951)    199,515           19,951
Total Investments (99.9%) (Cost $1,173,236)   1,351,492
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)   810
Net Assets (100%)   1,352,302
Cost is in $000.
See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.
1 Affiliated fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown for Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund is the 7-day yield.
71

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts
      ($000)
  Expiration Number of
Long (Short)
Contracts
Notional
Amount
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
Long Futures Contracts
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note December 2021 76 10,002 (127)
E-mini S&P 500 Index December 2021 38 8,166 (287)
        (414)
  
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
72

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of September 30, 2021
($000s, except shares and per-share amounts) Amount
Assets  
Investments in Securities, at Value—Affiliated Funds (Cost $1,173,236) 1,351,492
Cash Collateral Pledged—Futures Contracts 640
Receivables for Accrued Income 136
Receivables for Capital Shares Issued 7,636
Total Assets 1,359,904
Liabilities  
Payables for Investment Securities Purchased 3,820
Payables for Capital Shares Redeemed 3,675
Variation Margin Payable—Futures Contracts 107
Total Liabilities 7,602
Net Assets 1,352,302

At September 30, 2021, net assets consisted of:

   
Paid-in Capital 1,159,709
Total Distributable Earnings (Loss) 192,593
Net Assets 1,352,302
   
Net Assets  
Applicable to 44,441,058 outstanding $.001 par value shares of
beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)
1,352,302
Net Asset Value Per Share $30.43
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
73

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Operations
  Year Ended
September 30, 2021
  ($000)
Investment Income  
Income  
Income Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 16,672
Net Investment Income—Note B 16,672
Realized Net Gain (Loss)  
Capital Gain Distributions Received from Affiliated Funds 431
Affiliated Funds Sold 154
Futures Contracts 1,814
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 2,399
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Affiliated Funds 133,330
Futures Contracts (466)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 132,864
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 151,935
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
74

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
($000)
2020
($000)
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets    
Operations    
Net Investment Income 16,672 8,075
Realized Net Gain (Loss) 2,399 760
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 132,864 38,023
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations 151,935 46,858
Distributions    
Total Distributions (10,612) (5,739)
Capital Share Transactions    
Issued 938,924 395,927
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 10,438 5,685
Redeemed (241,582) (185,337)
Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions 707,780 216,275
Total Increase (Decrease) 849,103 257,394
Net Assets    
Beginning of Period 503,199 245,805
End of Period 1,352,302 503,199
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
75

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
Throughout Each Period
Year Ended September 30, July 12,
20171 to
September 30,
2017
2021 2020 2019 2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $24.60 $22.78 $22.69 $20.80 $20.00
Investment Operations          
Net Investment Income2 .541 .499 .552 .555 .197
Capital Gain Distributions Received2 .014
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments 5.730 1.787 (.107) 1.503 .603
Total from Investment Operations 6.285 2.286 .445 2.058 .800
Distributions          
Dividends from Net Investment Income (.410) (.465) (.355) (.165)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains (.045) (.001) (.003)
Total Distributions (.455) (.466) (.355) (.168)
Net Asset Value, End of Period $30.43 $24.60 $22.78 $22.69 $20.80
Total Return 25.74% 10.06% 2.22% 9.93% 4.00%
Ratios/Supplemental Data          
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) $1,352 $503 $246 $97 $5
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 3
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets 1.84% 2.17% 2.51% 2.51% 4.33% 3
Portfolio Turnover Rate 3% 14% 8% 28% 133%
1 Inception.
2 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
3 Annualized.
See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.
76

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. and international stocks, and U.S. and international bonds. The fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Financial statements and other information about each underlying fund are available at www.vanguard.com.
In September 2021, the board of trustees approved a plan of reorganization whereby the fund will merge into Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund. The merger is scheduled to be completed in February 2022.
Market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a global impact, and uncertainty exists as to the long-term implications. Such disruptions can adversely affect assets of the fund and thus fund performance.
A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. investment companies. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.
1. Security Valuation: Investments are valued at the net asset value of each underlying Vanguard fund determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date.
2. Futures Contracts: The fund uses stock and bond futures contracts to a limited extent, with the objectives of maintaining full exposure to the market and maintaining its target asset allocation. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are imperfect correlation between changes in market values of investments held by the fund and the prices of futures contracts, and the possibility of an illiquid market. Counterparty risk involving futures is mitigated because a regulated clearinghouse is the counterparty instead of the clearing broker. To further mitigate counterparty risk, the fund trades futures contracts on an exchange, monitors the financial strength of its clearing brokers and clearinghouse, and has entered into clearing agreements with its clearing brokers. The clearinghouse imposes initial margin requirements to secure the fund’s performance and requires daily settlement of variation margin representing changes in the market value of each contract. Any securities pledged as initial margin for open contracts are noted in the Schedule of Investments.
Futures contracts are valued at their quoted daily settlement prices. The notional amounts of the contracts are not recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Fluctuations in the value of the contracts are recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset (liability) and in the Statement of Operations as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) until the contracts are closed, when they are recorded as realized gains (losses) on futures contracts.
During the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund’s average investments in long and short futures contracts represented 2% and 0% of net assets, respectively, based on the average of the notional amounts at each quarter-end during the period.
3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. The fund’s tax returns are open to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is
77

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
generally three years after the filing of the tax return. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken for all open federal and state income tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the fund’s financial statements.
4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions are determined on a tax basis at the fiscal year-end and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes.
5. Credit Facilities and Interfund Lending Program: The fund and certain other funds managed by The Vanguard Group ("Vanguard") participate in a $4.3 billion committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement and an uncommitted credit facility provided by Vanguard. Both facilities may be renewed annually. Each fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facilities. Borrowings may be utilized for temporary or emergency purposes, subject to the fund’s regulatory and contractual borrowing restrictions. With respect to the committed credit facility, the participating funds are charged administrative fees and an annual commitment fee of 0.10% of the undrawn committed amount of the facility; these fees are allocated to the funds based on a method approved by the fund’s board of trustees and borne by the funds in which the fund invests (see Note B). Any borrowings under either facility bear interest at a rate based upon the higher of the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (or an acceptable alternate rate, if necessary), federal funds effective rate, or overnight bank funding rate plus an agreed-upon spread, except that borrowings under the uncommitted credit facility may bear interest based upon an alternative rate agreed to by the fund and Vanguard.
In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, the fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing program that allows registered open-end Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. The interest rate to be charged is governed by the conditions of the Order and internal procedures adopted by the board of trustees. The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing the Interfund Lending Program.
For the year ended September 30, 2021, the fund did not utilize the credit facilities or the Interfund Lending Program.
6. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.
B. In accordance with the terms of a Funds’ Service Agreement (the “FSA”) between Vanguard and the fund, Vanguard furnishes to the fund investment advisory, corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services at Vanguard’s cost of operations (as defined by the FSA). These costs of operations are allocated to the fund based on methods and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. The FSA provides that expenses otherwise allocable to Vanguard funds-of-funds may be reduced or eliminated to the extent of savings realized by the underlying Vanguard funds by virtue of being part of a fund-of-funds. Accordingly, all expenses for services provided by Vanguard to the fund and all other expenses incurred by the fund during the period ended September 30, 2021, were borne by the underlying Vanguard funds in which the
78

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
fund invests. The fund's trustees and officers are also trustees and officers, respectively, of the underlying Vanguard funds, as well as directors and employees, respectively, of Vanguard.
C. Various inputs may be used to determine the value of the fund’s investments and derivatives. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels for financial statement purposes. The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3—Significant unobservable inputs (including the fund’s own assumptions used to determine the fair value of investments). Any investments and derivatives valued with significant unobservable inputs are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
At September 30, 2021, 100% of the market value of the fund's investments and derivatives was determined based on Level 1 inputs.
D. Permanent differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of net assets, if any, are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
Temporary differences between book-basis and tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) arise when certain items of income, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. The differences are primarily related to the deferral of losses from wash sales; and the recognition of unrealized gains or losses from certain derivative contracts. As of period end, the tax-basis components of total distributable earnings (loss) are detailed in the table as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Undistributed Ordinary Income 13,080
Undistributed Long-Term Gains 1,283
Capital Loss Carryforwards
Qualified Late-Year Losses
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) 178,230
The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:
  Year Ended September 30,
  2021
Amount
($000)
2020
Amount
($000)
Ordinary Income* 10,137 5,738
Long-Term Capital Gains 475 1
Total 10,612 5,739
* Includes short-term capital gains, if any.
79

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
As of September 30, 2021, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
  Amount
($000)
Tax Cost 1,173,262
Gross Unrealized Appreciation 187,134
Gross Unrealized Depreciation (8,904)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) 178,230
E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:
    
  Year Ended September 30,  
  2021
Shares
(000)
  2020
Shares
(000)
     
Issued 31,884   17,604
Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions 379   235
Redeemed (8,273)   (8,179)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding 23,990   9,660
80

Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
F.Transactions during the period in affiliated underlying Vanguard funds were as follows:
    Current Period Transactions  
  Sep. 30, 2020
Market Value
($000)
Purchases
at Cost
($000)
Proceeds
from
Securities
Sold
($000)
Realized
Net Gain
(Loss)
($000)
Change in
Unrealized
App. (Dep.)
($000)
Income
($000)
Capital Gain
Distributions
Received
($000)
Sep. 30, 2021
Market Value
($000)
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund 7,514 NA 1 NA 1 9 19,951
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund 34,902 57,209 1,840 (20) (1,691) 1,087 406 88,560
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 13,095 7,672 20,398 48 (417) 104 25
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 39,182 (133) 47 39,049
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund 177,989 269,077 240 36,590 8,342 483,416
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 269,462 360,439 8,492 126 98,981 7,083 720,516
Total 502,962 733,579 30,970 154 133,330 16,672 431 1,351,492
1 Not applicable—purchases and sales are for temporary cash investment purposes.
G. Management has determined that no events or transactions occurred subsequent to September 30, 2021, that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
81

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Chester Funds and Shareholders of Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund and Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund
Opinions on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund, Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund and Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund (six of the funds constituting Vanguard Chester Funds, hereafter collectively referred to as the "Funds") as of September 30, 2021, the related statements of operations for the year ended September 30, 2021, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of September 30, 2021, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2021 and each of the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinions
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of September 30, 2021 by correspondence with the transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 17, 2021
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in The Vanguard Group of Funds since 1975.
82


Special 2021 tax information (unaudited) for Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Funds
This information for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, is included pursuant to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
The funds distributed capital gain dividends (20% rate gain distributions) to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund 12,248
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund 4,606
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund 475
For nonresident alien shareholders, 100% of short-term capital gain dividends distributed by the funds are qualified short-term capital gains.
The funds distributed qualified dividend income to shareholders during the fiscal year as follows:
Fund ($000)
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund 390,005
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund 363,041
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund 282,341
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund 154,208
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund 56,138
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund 7,245
For corporate shareholders, the percentage of investment income (dividend income plus short-term gains, if any) that qualifies for the dividends-received deduction is as follows:
Fund Percentage
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund 32.2%
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund 34.5
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund 35.4
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund 35.3
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund 36.0
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund 36.6
83

The funds designate to shareholders foreign source income and foreign taxes paid as follows:
Fund Foreign Source Income
($000)
Foreign Taxes Paid
($000)
Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund 364,965 30,446
Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund 341,125 28,778
Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund 276,046 23,306
Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund 157,202 13,283
Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund 62,164 5,258
Institutional Target Retirement 2065 Fund 9,233 781
Shareholders will receive more detailed information with their Form 1099-DIV in January 2022 to determine the calendar-year amounts to be included on their 2021 tax returns.
84

"Bloomberg®," Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, and Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged) (the Indices) are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (BISL), the administrator of the Indices (collectively, Bloomberg), and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
The Institutional Target Retirement Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Bloomberg. Bloomberg does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of or counterparties to the Institutional Target Retirement Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Institutional Target Retirement Funds particularly. The only relationship of Bloomberg to Vanguard is the licensing of certain trademarks, trade names and service marks and of the Indices, which are determined, composed and calculated by BISL without regard to Vanguard or the Institutional Target Retirement Funds. Bloomberg has no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Bloomberg is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds to be issued. Bloomberg shall not have any obligation or liability, including, without limitation, to the Institutional Target Retirement Funds’ customers, in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Institutional Target Retirement Funds.
BLOOMBERG DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. BLOOMBERG DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, BLOOMBERG, ITS LICENSORS, AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND VENDORS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGES—WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR OTHERWISE—ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE TARGET RETIREMENT FUNDS OR THE INDICES OR ANY DATA OR VALUES RELATING THERETO—WHETHER ARISING FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.
© 2021 Bloomberg.
Used with Permission. Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. Copyright 2021, Bloomberg. All rights reserved.
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The People Who Govern Your Fund
The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them.
A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals. The independent board members have distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service. Each of the trustees and executive officers oversees 212 Vanguard funds.
Information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund appears below. That information, as well as the Vanguard fund count, is as of the date on the cover of this fund report. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482. More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained, without charge, by contacting Vanguard at 800-662-7447, or online at vanguard.com.
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley
Born in 1969. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood
Born in 1948. Trustee since January 2008. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.
Amy Gutmann
Born in 1949. Trustee since June 2006. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
 
1 Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, because he is an officer of the Vanguard funds.

F. Joseph Loughrey
Born in 1949. Trustee since October 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation. Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.
Mark Loughridge
Born in 1953. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.
Scott C. Malpass
Born in 1962. Trustee since March 2012. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: chief investment officer (retired June 2020) and vice president (retired June 2020) of the University of Notre Dame. Assistant professor (retired June 2020) of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.
Deanna Mulligan
Born in 1963. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
André F. Perold
Born in 1952. Trustee since December 2004. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies (private investment firm). Member of the board (2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm). Member of the investment committee of Partners Health Care System.
Sarah Bloom Raskin
Born in 1961. Trustee since January 2018. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Professor (2020–present), Distinguished Fellow of the Global Financial Markets Center (2020–present), and Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) at Duke University. Trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present). Member of the Regenerative Crisis Response Committee (2020–present).
David A. Thomas
Born in 1956. Trustee since July 2021. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president of Morehouse College (2018–present). Professor of business administration, emeritus at Harvard University (2017–2018). Dean (2011–2016) and professor of management (2016–2017) at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Director of DTE Energy Company (2013–present). Trustee of Common Fund (2019–present).
Peter F. Volanakis
Born in 1955. Trustee since July 2009. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: president and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.

Executive Officers
John Bendl
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
Christine M. Buchanan
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).
David Cermak
Born in 1960. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.
John Galloway
Born in 1973. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy assistant to the President of the United States (2015).
Peter Mahoney
Born in 1974. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008–2014) at Vanguard.
Anne E. Robinson
Born in 1970. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: general counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.
Michael Rollings
Born in 1963. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.
John E. Schadl
Born in 1972. Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other experience: principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
Vanguard Senior Management Team
Matthew Benchener Thomas M. Rampulla
Joseph Brennan Karin A. Risi
Mortimer J. Buckley Anne E. Robinson
Gregory Davis Michael Rollings
John James Nitin Tandon
John T. Marcante Lauren Valente
Chris D. McIsaac  

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All rights reserved.
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Q6730B 112021

 

 

 

Item 2: Code of Ethics.

 

The Registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions. The Code of Ethics was amended during the reporting period covered by this report to make certain technical, non-material changes.

 

Item 3: Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

All members of the Audit Committee have been determined by the Registrant’s Board of Trustees to be Audit Committee Financial Experts and to be independent: F. Joseph Loughrey, Mark Loughridge, Sarah Bloom Raskin, and Peter F. Volanakis.

 

Item 4: Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

(a)Audit Fees.

 

Audit Fees of the Registrant.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $32,000
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $31,000

 

Aggregate Audit Fees of Registered Investment Companies in the Vanguard Group.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $11,244,694
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $10,761,407

 

Includes fees billed in connection with audits of the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Vanguard Marketing Corporation.

 

(b)Audit-Related Fees.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $2,955,181
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $2,915,863

 

Includes fees billed in connection with assurance and related services provided to the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Vanguard Marketing Corporation.

 

(c)Tax Fees.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $2,047,574
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $247,168

 

Includes fees billed in connection with tax compliance, planning, and advice services provided to the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Vanguard Marketing Corporation.

 

(d)All Other Fees.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $280,000
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $115,000

 

Includes fees billed for services related to tax reported information provided to the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Vanguard Marketing Corporation.

 

(e)        (1) Pre-Approval Policies. The policy of the Registrant’s Audit Committee is to consider, and, if appropriate, approve before the principal accountant is engaged for such services, all specific audit and non-audit services provided to: the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and entities controlled by The Vanguard Group, Inc. that provide ongoing services to the Registrant. In making a determination, the Audit Committee considers whether the services are consistent with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

 

 

 

In the event of a contingency situation in which the principal accountant is needed to provide services in between scheduled Audit Committee meetings, the Chairman of the Audit Committee would be called on to consider and, if appropriate, pre-approve audit or permitted non-audit services in an amount sufficient to complete services through the next Audit Committee meeting, and to determine if such services would be consistent with maintaining the accountant’s independence. At the next scheduled Audit Committee meeting, services and fees would be presented to the Audit Committee for formal consideration, and, if appropriate, approval by the entire Audit Committee. The Audit Committee would again consider whether such services and fees are consistent with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

The Registrant’s Audit Committee is informed at least annually of all audit and non-audit services provided by the principal accountant to the Vanguard complex, whether such services are provided to: the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., or other entities controlled by The Vanguard Group, Inc. that provide ongoing services to the Registrant.

 

(2) No percentage of the principal accountant’s fees or services were approved pursuant to the waiver provision of paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

 

(f)         For the most recent fiscal year, over 50% of the hours worked under the principal accountant’s engagement were not performed by persons other than full-time, permanent employees of the principal accountant.

 

(g)        Aggregate Non-Audit Fees.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021: $2,327,574
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2020: $362,168

 

Includes fees billed for non-audit services provided to the Registrant, other registered investment companies in the Vanguard complex, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Vanguard Marketing Corporation.

 

(h)        For the most recent fiscal year, the Audit Committee has determined that the provision of all non-audit services was consistent with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

Item 5: Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

The Registrant is a listed issuer as defined in rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”). The Registrant has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The Registrant’s audit committee members are: F. Joseph Loughrey, Mark Loughridge, Sarah Bloom Raskin, and Peter F. Volanakis.

 

 

 

 

Item 6: Investments.

 

Not applicable. The complete schedule of investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

 

Item 7: Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8: Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 9: Purchase of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 10: Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 11: Controls and Procedures.

 

(a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Principal Executive and Financial Officers concluded that the Registrant’s Disclosure Controls and Procedures are effective based on their evaluation of the Disclosure Controls and Procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report.

(b) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. In 2020, a third-party service provider began performing certain administrative and accounting services for Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund. There were no other significant changes in the Registrant’s Internal Control Over Financial Reporting or in other factors that could significantly affect this control subsequent to the date of the evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

Item 12: Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 13: Exhibits.

 

(a)(1)Code of Ethics filed herewith.
(a)(2)Certifications filed herewith.
(b)Certifications field herewith.

 

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

  

 VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS  
    
BY:/s/ MORTIMER J. BUCKLEY*  
 MORTIMER J. BUCKLEY  
 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER  

 

Date: November 19, 2021

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS  
    
BY:/s/ MORTIMER J. BUCKLEY*  
 MORTIMER J. BUCKLEY  
 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER  

 

Date: November 19, 2021

 

 VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS  
    
BY:

/s/ CHRISTINE BUCHANAN*

 
 

CHRISTINE BUCHANAN

 
 

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

 

 

Date: November 19, 2021

 

* By: /s/ Anne E. Robinson  

 

Anne E. Robinson, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on November 29, 2021 (see File Number 33-64845), a Power of Attorney  filed on October 12, 2021 (see File Number 33-23444), and a Power of Attorney  filed on August 26, 2021 (see file Number 811-02652), Incorporated by Reference.