Bond discount is the difference between a bond's market price and its principal balance owing at maturity. This means that if you sell the bond to someone else before it matures, you will not get all of your money back. The amount you will lose depends on how much time is left in the bond, and how much its value has dropped. You will have to take the smaller of the two, which is why bond discount is also called the bond's effective interest rate. This is a gory truth, but it is a truth that most investors do not realize. When they invest in bonds, they think they are investing in a safe place. But they are not taking into account the fact that they might be selling the bond at a loss.What is the bond discount formula?The bond discount formula is:Bond Discount = Current Price - Principal Balance × 100Example: ABC Corporation issued $1,000,000 face value of 7% bonds at par value. The bonds have a coupon interest rate of 7% and will mature in 10 years. Find out how much the bonds are selling for on the secondary market.Bond discount: Current price = $1,000,000 × 100 / 10 = $100,000
Principal balance = $1,000,000 × (1 - 7/100) = $970,000
Bond discount = $100,000 - $970,000 × 100 / 10
Bond discount = -$3,470