WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

  



       
                                                

<ARTICLE>                                          6
<SERIES>
     <NUMBER>                                      012
     <NAME>                                        Federated Total
                                                   Return Series, Inc
                                                   Federated Total
                                                   Return Bond Fund
                                                   Institutional
                                                   Service Shares
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                      12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  Sep-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                       Sep-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                              18,377,548
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                             18,643,784
<RECEIVABLES>                                      573,585
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     16,858
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     19,234,227
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                           104,203
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                            0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                          141,255
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                245,458
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                    0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                           18,795,167
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                              221,734
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                              30
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                          0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                             (61)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                            (72,573)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                           0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                           266,236
<NET-ASSETS>                                       2,289,047
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                  0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                  599,075
<OTHER-INCOME>                                     0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                     1,929
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            597,146
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                           53,760
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                          266,236
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                              917,142
<EQUALIZATION>                                     0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                          24,041
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                           0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                              0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                            231,935
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                        10,420
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                189
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                             13,888,254
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                            0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                          (126,333)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                         0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                              33,489
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                    370,278
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                               8,889,523
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                              10.000
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    0.690
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                            0.320
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                               0.690
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                          0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                               0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                10.320
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    0.31
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                             0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                               0.000