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Personal Taxes, Endogenous Default, and Corporate Bond Yield Spreads

Author

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  • Sheen X. Liu

    (Williamson College of Business Administration, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio 44555)

  • Howard Qi

    (Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghon, Michigan 49931)

  • Chunchi Wu

    (Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University, 50 Stamford Road, Singapore 178899, and School of Management, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244)

Abstract

Term structure models have often been criticized for failing to explain satisfactorily the yield spread between corporate and Treasury bonds. A potential problem is that the personal tax effect is ignored in these models. In this paper, we employ a structural model to investigate the role of personal taxes on both debt and equity returns in capital structure decisions and assess their impact on corporate bond yield spreads. It is shown that personal taxes affect the firm's optimal capital structure, and the tax premium explains a substantial portion of yield spreads, especially for high-grade bonds. The predictive ability of the model for yield spreads is much improved when personal tax effects are accounted for. In controlling for the liquidity effect, we obtain implied personal income tax rates closely in line with Graham's (1999) estimates.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheen X. Liu & Howard Qi & Chunchi Wu, 2006. "Personal Taxes, Endogenous Default, and Corporate Bond Yield Spreads," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(6), pages 939-954, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:52:y:2006:i:6:p:939-954
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1050.0497
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Howard Qi & Sheen Liu & Dean Johnson, 2012. "A model for risky cash flows and tax shields," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 36(4), pages 868-881, October.
    2. Liu, Liang-Chih & Dai, Tian-Shyr & Wang, Chuan-Ju, 2016. "Evaluating corporate bonds and analyzing claim holders’ decisions with complex debt structure," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 151-174.
    3. Wang, Junbo & Wu, Chunchi & Zhang, Frank X., 2008. "Liquidity, default, taxes, and yields on municipal bonds," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1133-1149, June.
    4. Nejadmalayeri, Ali & Mathur, Ike & Singh, Manohar, 2013. "Product market advertising and corporate bonds," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 78-94.
    5. Guo, Liang, 2013. "Determinants of credit spreads: The role of ambiguity and information uncertainty," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 279-297.
    6. Chen, Tsung-Kang & Liao, Hsien-Hsing & Chen, Wei-Lun, 2014. "Production efficiency uncertainty and corporate credit risk: Structural form credit model perspectives," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 266-280.
    7. Tsung-Kang Chen & Hsien-Hsing Liao & Hsiao-Chun Huang, 2014. "Macroeconomic risks of supply chain counterparties and corporate bond yield spreads," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 463-481, October.
    8. 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.
    9. Chen, Tsung-Kang & Chen, Yan-Shing & Liao, Hsien-Hsing, 2011. "Labor unions, bargaining power and corporate bond yield spreads: Structural credit model perspectives," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 2084-2098, August.
    10. Qi, Howard & Liu, Sheen & Wu, Chunchi, 2010. "Structural models of corporate bond pricing with personal taxes," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1700-1718, July.
    11. Schosser, Josef, 2008. "Bewertung ohne "Kapitalkosten": Ein arbitragetheoretischer Ansatz zu Unternehmenswert, Kapitalstruktur und persönlicher Besteuerung," Passauer Diskussionspapiere, Betriebswirtschaftliche Reihe 13, University of Passau, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    12. Goldstein, Michael A. & Namin, Elmira Shekari, 2023. "Corporate bond liquidity and yield spreads: A review," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    13. Liu, Sheen & Shi, Jian & Wang, Junbo & Wu, Chunchi, 2007. "How much of the corporate bond spread is due to personal taxes?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(3), pages 599-636, September.
    14. Chen, Tsung-Kang & Liao, Hsien-Hsing & Chi, Cheng-Ming, 2014. "The economic consequences of regulatory changes in employee stock options on corporate bond holders: SFAS No.123R and structural credit model perspectives," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 381-394.

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