Financial assets meeting the criteria of amortized cost be it to bond or mutual fund have a cash flow stream represented by the coupon rate. The coupon rate is stated at the rate at which the bond pays periodic interest/coupons.
Nonetheless, over the term of the bond, the interest rate prevalent in the market generally differs from the interest stated in the coupon. If the market interest rate is higher than the stated interest rate, the bond market price is lower than its maturity value.
This is due to the fact that bond is offering interest rate lower than what is prevalent in the market.
Likewise, if market interest is lower than the coupon rate on the bond, the bond sells at a premium i.e. at a higher price than the maturity value of the bond.
There can also be rare cases where the market price of the bond and its face value are the same which means the coupon rate stated on face value equals the market interest rate.
The treatment of interest as per accounting standard requires that any discount or premium arising on the acquisition of a financial asset carried at amortized cost should be amortized using the effective interest rate method.
Under the effective interest method, the interest income recognized is calculated by applying the market interest rate to the carrying amount of the bond and the difference between the interest income so recognized and the interest income paid is used to write-off the discount or premium such that the discount or premium is zero at the end of the bond term.
Let’s use an example to illustrate the effective interest rate method
On 1 January 2019, Larsson Pvt Ltd. invested in 20,000 Company A bonds whose face value is $100, coupon rate is 6% payable annually and time to maturity is 10 years.
The market rate interest for Larsson Pvt Ltd was 6.5% and Larsson Pvt ltd would pay $1,928,112 for these bonds (calculated by discounting the bonds cash flows stream using the market interest rate
Larsson Pvt Ltd shall record the acquisition of the bonds as follows:
| Investments held at amortized cost- Company A bonds | $2000,000 | |
| Cash | $1,928,112 | |
| Discount on Company A bonds | $71,888 |
Larsson Pvt Ltd shall report the bonds purchased at $1,928,112 on its balance sheet (face value minus discount). The Discount on Company A bonds is a contra-account to the Company A bonds asset account.
The first interest payment is due on 31 December 2019, which shall equal $120,000 (=$2,000,000*6%). However, Larsson Pvt Ltd. can’t record $120,000 as interest income because according to the effective interest method.
it also needs to account for the initial discount on the bonds. It shall record the receipt of the first interest payment as follows:
| Cash ($2,000,000*6%) | $ 120,000 | |
| Discount on Company A bonds | $ 5327 | |
| Income from Interest ( 1,928,112*6.5%) | $ 125,327 |
After the first payment, the value of Company A bonds in books of Larsson Pvt Ltd. shall be as follows:
| Face value of Company A bonds | $2,000,000 |
| Less: Discount on Company A bonds ($71,888-$5,327) | – $66,561 |
| Amortized cost of Company A bonds at 31 December 2015 | $1,933,439 |
The journal entry for the second interest payment i.e. on 31 December 2020 would be as follows:
| Cash ($2,000,000*6%) | $ 120,000 | |
| Discount on Company A bonds | $ 5674 | |
| Income from Interest (1,993,439*6.5%) | $ 125,674 |
Amortized cost on 31 December 2020 would be $1,939,112. This would continue until after the last interest payment, the amortized cost of bonds will be equal to the maturity value i.e. $2,000,000.
The following amortization table summarizes the application of the effective interest rate method over the term of the bond.
| Date |
Interest Received |
Interest Income |
Discount Amortized |
Amortized Cost |
| 01-Jan-19 | 1,928,112 | |||
| 31-Dec-19 | 120,000 | 125,327 | 5,327 | 1,933,439 |
| 31-Dec-20 | 120,000 | 125,674 | 5,674 | 1,939,112 |
| 31-Dec-21 | 120,000 | 126,042 | 6,042 | 1,945,155 |
| 31-Dec-22 | 120,000 | 126,435 | 6,435 | 1,951,590 |
| 31-Dec-23 | 120,000 | 126,853 | 6,853 | 1,958,443 |
| 31-Dec-24 | 120,000 | 127,299 | 7,299 | 1,965,742 |
| 31-Dec-25 | 120,000 | 127,773 | 7,773 | 1,973,515 |
| 31-Dec-26 | 120,000 | 128,278 | 8,278 | 1,981,794 |
| 31-Dec-27 | 120,000 | 128,817 | 8,817 | 1,990,610 |
| 31-Dec-28 | 120,000 | 129,390 | 9,390 | 2,000,000 |
This is how the discount is amortized using the effective interest rate method.
