Bond Calculator

Calculate a bond's fair price from its face value, coupon rate, years to maturity, and market yield (YTM). See the price, total coupon income, current yield, and whether it trades at a premium or discount.

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Bond Calculator

Price & yield of a fixed-coupon bond

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Bond Price
Total Coupon Income
Current Yield
Premium / Discount
Coupon Payment

How a Bond Is Priced

A bond's fair price is the present value of all its future cash flows — the periodic coupon payments plus the face value repaid at maturity — discounted at the market yield (yield to maturity, or YTM). When the YTM equals the coupon rate, the bond is worth exactly its face value (par). When market yields rise above the coupon rate, the bond is worth less than par (a discount); when yields fall below the coupon rate, it's worth more than par (a premium). This inverse relationship between yields and prices is the central fact of bond investing.

For example, a $1,000 bond with a 5% coupon paid semi-annually, maturing in 10 years, priced to a 6% market yield, is worth about $925.61 — a discount, because newer bonds offer a higher 6% yield. The calculator also shows the current yield (annual coupon ÷ price) and total coupon income over the bond's life.

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Price & Yield Move Opposite

When market yields rise, existing bond prices fall, and vice versa. Longer maturities are more sensitive to yield changes.

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Premium vs Discount

Coupon > YTM → premium (price above par). Coupon < YTM → discount (price below par). Coupon = YTM → par.

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Current Yield

Annual coupon ÷ current price. A quick income measure, though YTM is the complete return including price changes to maturity.

FAQ

Because new bonds are issued at the higher prevailing rate, an older bond paying a lower coupon must drop in price until its yield matches the market. The fixed coupon becomes relatively less attractive, so buyers will only pay a discounted price — pushing its effective yield up to the new market level.
The coupon rate is the fixed annual interest the bond pays on its face value. The YTM (yield to maturity) is the total annualized return you'd earn buying at the current price and holding to maturity, including coupon income plus any gain or loss from price versus par. Price is set so that YTM, not the coupon, reflects the market return.
It's how often the bond pays interest. Most US corporate and Treasury bonds pay semi-annually (twice a year), so a 5% coupon on a $1,000 bond pays $25 every six months. Some bonds pay annually or quarterly. Frequency affects the present-value math and slightly changes the price.

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✔ Reviewed by the True Value Calc editorial team🗓 Last updated June 2026📚 Sources: Peer-reviewed formulas & official U.S. government data