Surething Inc. must give an interest rate of 17.33 percent to generate a 10.40 percent after-tax return and make Hugh indifferent between investing in the two bonds.
To solve for the pretax rate of return, we can use this formula:
After-tax return = Pre-tax return x (1 – Marginal Tax Rate).
10.40% = Pre-tax return x (1 – Marginal Tax Rate);
Pre-tax return = 10.40% / (1 – Marginal Tax Rate) = 17.33%