Virtus Total Return Fund Form 4 Virtus Total Return Fund / Steven Samuels ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Bulldog Investors, LLC

(Last) (First) (Middle)

PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO

250 PEHLE AVE., SUITE 708

(Street)

SADDLE BROOK NJ 07663

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Virtus Total Return Fund [ DCA ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

Director	X	10% Owner
Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/10/2016

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

	Form filed by One Reporting Person
X	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	08/10/2016		P		12,600	A	$4.5712	3,884,477	I	By Clients(1)
Common Stock	08/11/2016		P		4,216	A	$4.5976	3,888,693	I	By Clients(1)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Bulldog Investors, LLC

(Last) (First) (Middle)

PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO

250 PEHLE AVE., SUITE 708

(Street)

SADDLE BROOK NJ 07663

(City) (State) (Zip)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

GOLDSTEIN PHILLIP

(Last) (First) (Middle)

PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO

250 PEHLE AVE., SUITE 708

(Street)

SADDLE BROOK NJ 07663

(City) (State) (Zip)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Dakos Andrew

(Last) (First) (Middle)

PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO

250 PEHLE AVE., SUITE 708

(Street)

SADDLE BROOK NJ 07663

(City) (State) (Zip)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Samuels Steven

(Last) (First) (Middle)

PARK 80 WEST - PLAZA TWO

250 PEHLE AVE., SUITE 708

(Street)

SADDLE BROOK NJ 07663

(City) (State) (Zip)

Explanation of Responses:

1. Certain private investment fund clients of Bulldog Investors, LLC are the beneficial owners of these shares. Bulldog Investors, LLC disclaims beneficial interest in such shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein. Andrew Dakos, Steven Samuels and Phillip Goldstein are the owners of Bulldog Investors, LLC. Each of Messrs. Dakos, Samuels and Goldstein also is a Principal of the general partner of certain of such private investment fund clients of Bulldog Investors, LLC, and a limited partner in certain of such private fund clients. Each of Messrs. Dakos, Samuels and Goldstein disclaims beneficial interest in such shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.

	/s/ Phillip Goldstein on behalf of Bulldog Investors, LLC	08/12/2016
	/s/ Phillip Goldstein	08/12/2016
	/s/ Andrew Dakos	08/12/2016
	/s/ Steven Samuels	08/12/2016
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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