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Optimal Bond Trading with Personal Taxes: Implications for Bond Prices and Estimated Tax Brackets and Yield Curves

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  • George M. Constantinides
  • Jonathan E. Ingersoll Jr.

Abstract

The assumption that bondholders follow either a buy-and-hold or a continuous realization trading policy, rather than the optimal trading policy,is at variance with reality and, as we demonstrate, may seriously bias the estimation of the yield curve and the implied tax bracket of the marginal investor. Tax considerations which govern a bondholder's optimal trading policy include the following: realization of capital losses, short term if possible; deferment of the realization of capital gains, especially if they are short term; changing the holding period status from long term to short term by sale of the bond and repurchase, so that future capital losses may be realized short term; and raising the basis through sale of the bond and repurchase in order to deduct from ordinary income the amortized premium. Because of the interaction of these factors, no simple characterization of the optimal trading policy is possible. We can say, however, that it differs substantially from the buy-and-hold policy irrespective of whether the bondholder is a bank, a bond dealer, or an individual. We obtain these strong results even when we allow for transactions costs and explicitly consider numerous IRS regulations designed to curtail tax avoidance.

Suggested Citation

  • George M. Constantinides & Jonathan E. Ingersoll Jr., 1983. "Optimal Bond Trading with Personal Taxes: Implications for Bond Prices and Estimated Tax Brackets and Yield Curves," NBER Working Papers 1184, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:1184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert C. Merton, 2005. "Theory of rational option pricing," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Sudipto Bhattacharya & George M Constantinides (ed.), Theory Of Valuation, chapter 8, pages 229-288, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Constantinides, George M, 1983. "Capital Market Equilibrium with Personal Tax," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(3), pages 611-636, May.
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    5. Miller, Merton H. & Scholes, Myron S., 1978. "Dividends and taxes," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 333-364, December.
    6. Cox, John C & Ingersoll, Jonathan E, Jr & Ross, Stephen A, 1981. "A Re-examination of Traditional Hypotheses about the Term Structure of Interest Rates," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 36(4), pages 769-799, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hoffmann, Steffen, 2015. "Die steueroptimale Anlegerstrategie bei Wertpapieren und die zugehörige Grenzpreisbestimmung," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 660, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    2. James M. Poterba, 1984. "Expected Future Tax Policy and Tax Exempt Bond Yields," Working papers 350, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
    3. Bühler, Wolfgang & Rasch, Steffen, 1995. "Einflußfaktoren auf Steuer-Klientel-Effekte," ZEW Discussion Papers 95-07, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Francis A. Longstaff, 2009. "Municipal Debt and Marginal Tax Rates: Is there a Tax Premium in Asset Prices?," NBER Working Papers 14687, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Edward J. Kane, 1984. "Change and Progress in Contemporary Mortgage Markets," NBER Working Papers 1478, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Marco Realdon, 2013. "Participation exemption and tax arbitrage: Italy’s case," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 77-93, August.
    7. Constantinides, George M., 1984. "Optimal stock trading with personal taxes : Implications for prices and the abnormal January returns," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 65-89, March.

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