485BPOS

	1933 Act File No. 033-31072
	1940 Act File No. 811-05876
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A

	REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933	x
	Pre-Effective Amendment No.	o
	Post-Effective Amendment No. 40	x
	and/or
	REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940	x
	Amendment No. 41	x
LORD ABBETT SERIES FUND, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey	07302-3973
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 201-6984

Thomas R. Phillips, Esq.
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302-3973

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

x	immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
o	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
o	60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (1)
o	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) (1)
o	75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (2)
o	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) (2) of rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
o	This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness to its Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and had duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Jersey City, and State of New Jersey as of the 17^th day of October, 2012.

LORD ABBETT SERIES FUND, INC.
BY:	/s/ Thomas R. Phillips
	Thomas R. Phillips
	Vice President and Assistant Secretary
BY:	/s/ Joan A. Binstock
	Joan A. Binstock
	Chief Financial Officer and Vice President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signatures	Title	Date
Robert S. Dow*	Chairman, Chief Executive
	Officer and Director	October 17, 2012
Robert S. Dow
Daria L. Foster*	President	October 17, 2012
	and Director
Daria L. Foster
E. Thayer Bigelow *	Director	October 17, 2012
E. Thayer Bigelow
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.*	Director	October 17, 2012
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.
Evelyn E. Guernsey*	Director	October 17, 2012
Evelyn E. Guernsey
Julie A. Hill*	Director	October 17, 2012
Julie A. Hill
Franklin W. Hobbs*	Director	October 17, 2012
Franklin W. Hobbs
Thomas J. Neff*	Director	October 17, 2012
Thomas J. Neff
James L.L. Tullis*	Director	October 17, 2012
James L.L. Tullis

* By	/s/Thomas R. Phillips
	Thomas R. Phillips
	Attorney-in-Fact

POWER OF ATTORNEY

          Each person whose signature appears below on this Registration Statement hereby constitutes and appoints Lawrence H. Kaplan, Lawrence B. Stoller, John K. Forst and Thomas R. Phillips, each of them, with full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities (until revoked in writing) to sign any and all Registration Statements of each Fund enumerated on Exhibit A hereto for which such person serves as a Director/Trustee (including Registration Statements on Forms N-1A and N-14 and any amendments thereto), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signatures	Title	Date
/s/ Robert S. Dow	Chairman, CEO	April 19, 2012
	and Director/Trustee
Robert S. Dow
/s/ Daria L. Foster	President and	April 19, 2012
	Director/Trustee
Daria L. Foster
/s/ E. Thayer Bigelow	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
E. Thayer Bigelow
/s/ Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
Robert B. Calhoun, Jr.
/s/ Evelyn E. Guernsey	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
Evelyn E. Guernsey
/s/ Julie A. Hill	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
Julie A. Hill
/s/ Franklin W. Hobbs	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
Franklin W. Hobbs
/s/ Thomas J. Neff	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
Thomas J. Neff
/s/ James L.L. Tullis	Director/Trustee	April 19, 2012
James L.L. Tullis

EXHIBIT A

Lord Abbett Affiliated Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Bond-Debenture Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Developing Growth Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Equity Trust

Lord Abbett Global Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Investment Trust

Lord Abbett Mid Cap Stock Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Municipal Income Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Research Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Securities Trust

Lord Abbett Series Fund, Inc.

Lord Abbett Stock Appreciation Fund

Lord Abbett U.S. Government & Government Sponsored Enterprises Money Market Fund, Inc.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
EX-101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
EX-101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
EX-101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
EX-101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase
EX-101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Sep. 27, 2012

XML

Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio

Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses		Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio Class VC
Management Fees		0.75%
Other Expenses		0.48%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.23%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[1]	(0.38%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[1]	0.85%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”) for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio Class VC	87	329	616	1,434

Portfolio Turnover.

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 22.48% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests principally in equity securities of large and mid-sized companies that have a history of increasing dividends and that have the potential for capital appreciation. The Fund’s portfolio management team uses fundamental research and quantitative analysis to select the Fund’s investments, while seeking to maintain an investment portfolio with industry, sector, and capitalization weightings and other portfolio characteristics that generally are similar to those of the S&P 900 10-Year Dividend Growth Index (the “Dividend Growth Index”). The Dividend Growth Index is the exclusive property of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Under a contract with Lord Abbett, S&P administers, maintains, and calculates the Dividend Growth Index. S&P and its affiliates will have no liability for any errors or omissions in calculating the Dividend Growth Index.

The Fund focuses on U.S. large and mid-sized companies that historically have grown their dividends over time, which represent a relatively narrow market segment compared to the broader U.S. equity markets. The Fund also may invest to a lesser extent in foreign companies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:

• Equity securities of large and mid-sized companies. Equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

• Dividend paying securities issued by companies that pay out a portion of their profits to shareholders instead of reinvesting all their profits in their businesses. Although issuers of dividend paying securities may include fast growing companies, they more commonly consist of “value” companies whose securities have the potential for investment return because they are underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects.

The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:

• Investment Strategy Risk: If the Fund’s fundamental research and quantitative analysis fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform its benchmark or other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market. In addition, the Fund’s strategy of focusing on the relatively narrow market segment of dividend paying companies means the Fund will be more exposed to risks associated with that particular market segment than a fund that invests more widely.

• Equity Risk: Common stocks and other equity securities, as well as equity-like securities such as convertible bonds, may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company’s financial condition.

• Dividend Risk: Securities of dividend paying companies may become less available for purchase, limiting the Fund’s ability to produce current income and increasing the volatility of the Fund’s returns. At times, the performance of dividend paying companies may lag the performance of other companies or the broader market as a whole. In addition, a company’s dividend payments may vary over time, and there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend at all.

• Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

• Mid-Sized Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, or limited products or services, or operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

• Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

• Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investments in foreign companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and social instability. In addition, they may be subject to less government supervision.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.

The bar chart and table show performance of the Fund during periods when the Fund operated under the name "Capital Structure Portfolio" and invested in a mix of equity and fixed income securities. Effective on or about September 27, 2012, the Fund will implement its present dividend-oriented equity strategy. This change is likely to affect the Fund's performance in the future.

Bar Chart (per calendar year)-Class VC Shares

* The year-to-date return for Class VC shares as of June 30, 2012 was 6.22%.

Best Quarter 3rd Q ‘09 +12.42% Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -13.59%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices. The Fund believes that the Dividend Growth Index is a more appropriate index than the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, in light of the composition of the Fund’s portfolio following implementation of its dividend oriented equity strategy. Because the Dividend Growth Index more closely reflects the market segment in which the Fund invests, the Fund will remove the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index from the performance table in the future.

Average Annual Returns Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio		1 Year	5 Years	Life of Class	Inception Date for Performance
Class VC		0.19%	1.56%	7.32%	Apr. 30, 2003
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)		2.11%	(0.25%)	5.82%	Apr. 30, 2003
S&P 900 10-Year Dividend Growth Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	[1]
60% S&P 500® Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)		4.69%	2.84%	5.89%	Apr. 30, 2003

[1] For the period from September 27, 2012 through April 30, 2014, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and administrative services fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.85%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.

[1] The table does not show any returns for the Dividend Growth Index because the inception of the Dividend Growth Index was in 2012.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Calibrated Dividend Growth Portfolio

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

FEES AND EXPENSES

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

2014-04-30

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover.

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 22.48% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

22.48%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”) for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund invests principally in equity securities of large and mid-sized companies that have a history of increasing dividends and that have the potential for capital appreciation. The Fund’s portfolio management team uses fundamental research and quantitative analysis to select the Fund’s investments, while seeking to maintain an investment portfolio with industry, sector, and capitalization weightings and other portfolio characteristics that generally are similar to those of the S&P 900 10-Year Dividend Growth Index (the “Dividend Growth Index”). The Dividend Growth Index is the exclusive property of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Under a contract with Lord Abbett, S&P administers, maintains, and calculates the Dividend Growth Index. S&P and its affiliates will have no liability for any errors or omissions in calculating the Dividend Growth Index.

The Fund focuses on U.S. large and mid-sized companies that historically have grown their dividends over time, which represent a relatively narrow market segment compared to the broader U.S. equity markets. The Fund also may invest to a lesser extent in foreign companies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:

• Equity securities of large and mid-sized companies. Equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

• Dividend paying securities issued by companies that pay out a portion of their profits to shareholders instead of reinvesting all their profits in their businesses. Although issuers of dividend paying securities may include fast growing companies, they more commonly consist of “value” companies whose securities have the potential for investment return because they are underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects.

The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

PRINCIPAL RISKS

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:

• Investment Strategy Risk: If the Fund’s fundamental research and quantitative analysis fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform its benchmark or other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market. In addition, the Fund’s strategy of focusing on the relatively narrow market segment of dividend paying companies means the Fund will be more exposed to risks associated with that particular market segment than a fund that invests more widely.

• Equity Risk: Common stocks and other equity securities, as well as equity-like securities such as convertible bonds, may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company’s financial condition.

• Dividend Risk: Securities of dividend paying companies may become less available for purchase, limiting the Fund’s ability to produce current income and increasing the volatility of the Fund’s returns. At times, the performance of dividend paying companies may lag the performance of other companies or the broader market as a whole. In addition, a company’s dividend payments may vary over time, and there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend at all.

• Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

• Mid-Sized Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, or limited products or services, or operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

• Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

• Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investments in foreign companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and social instability. In addition, they may be subject to less government supervision.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

As with any invesment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]

rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

PERFORMANCE

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.

Performance Additional Market Index [Text]

rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex

The Fund believes that the Dividend Growth Index is a more appropriate index than the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, in light of the composition of the Fund's portfolio following implementation of its dividend oriented equity strategy. Because the Dividend Growth Index more closely reflects the market segment in which the Fund invests, the Fund will remove the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index from the performance table in the future.

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Bar Chart (per calendar year)-Class VC Shares

Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]

rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.

The bar chart and table show performance of the Fund during periods when the Fund operated under the name "Capital Structure Portfolio" and invested in a mix of equity and fixed income securities. Effective on or about September 27, 2012, the Fund will implement its present dividend-oriented equity strategy. This change is likely to affect the Fund's performance in the future.

Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]

rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads

This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

* The year-to-date return for Class VC shares as of June 30, 2012 was 6.22%.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter 3rd Q ‘09 +12.42% Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -13.59%

Year to Date Return, Label

rr_YearToDateReturnLabel

The year-to-date return for Class VC shares as of June 30, 2012 was 6.22%.

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2012

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn

6.22%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

12.42%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(13.59%)

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices. The Fund believes that the Dividend Growth Index is a more appropriate index than the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, in light of the composition of the Fund’s portfolio following implementation of its dividend oriented equity strategy. Because the Dividend Growth Index more closely reflects the market segment in which the Fund invests, the Fund will remove the 60% S&P 500 Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index from the performance table in the future.

S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

2.11%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(0.25%)

Life of Class

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.82%

Inception Date for Performance

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 30, 2003

S&P 900 10-Year Dividend Growth Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

^[1]

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

^[1]

Life of Class

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

^[1]

60% S&P 500® Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.69%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.84%

Life of Class

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.89%

Inception Date for Performance

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 30, 2003

Class VC

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.75%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.48%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.23%

Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.38%)

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.85%

^[2]

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

87

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

329

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

616

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,434

Annual Return 2004

rr_AnnualReturn2004

16.47%

Annual Return 2005

rr_AnnualReturn2005

3.78%

Annual Return 2006

rr_AnnualReturn2006

14.55%

Annual Return 2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

3.16%

Annual Return 2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

(26.19%)

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

23.41%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

14.77%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

0.19%

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.19%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

1.56%

Life of Class

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

7.32%

Inception Date for Performance

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 30, 2003

[1] The table does not show any returns for the Dividend Growth Index because the inception of the Dividend Growth Index was in 2012.

[2] For the period from September 27, 2012 through April 30, 2014, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and administrative services fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.85%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.

XML

Document and Entity Information	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Risk/Return:
Document Type	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2011
Registrant Name	LORD ABBETT SERIES FUND INC
Central Index Key	0000855396
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Sep. 25, 2012
Document Effective Date	Sep. 27, 2012
Prospectus Date	Sep. 27, 2012