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Microlesson · 5-min read

AS 13 – Investment in Bonds: Cum-Interest Purchase, Partial Sale and Year-End Accrual

## Investment in Bonds — Interest Separation, Partial Sale, and Accrual (AS 13)

### 1. Cum-Interest vs Ex-Interest

Bonds carry a fixed coupon. Between coupon dates, interest accrues. The purchase price may or may not include this accrued interest.

TermMeaningAction Required
Cum-InterestPrice includes accrued interestSeparate interest from cost
Ex-InterestPrice excludes accrued interestRecord as pure cost; collect interest independently

### 2. Separating Interest on Purchase (Cum-Interest)

```

Interest Paid = Face Value × Rate × Months Since Last Coupon / 12

Ex-Interest Cost = Total Price Paid − Interest Paid

```

In the investment ledger, the Interest column and Amount column are maintained separately.

### 3. Profit / Loss on Partial Sale

```

Average Cost per Bond = Total Ex-Interest Cost ÷ Total Bonds Held

Carrying Cost of Bonds Sold = Average Cost × Bonds Sold

Profit / (Loss) = Sale Proceeds (ex-int) − Carrying Cost

```

On sale date, also recognise interest accrued from last coupon date to sale date.

### 4. Year-End Interest Accrual

Interest earned but not yet due at the balance sheet date must be accrued:

```

Accrued Interest = Remaining Face Value × Rate × Months / 12

```

This appears in the Interest column on the credit side of the ledger (closing balance).

### 5. Ledger Format (3-Column Investment Account)

ParticularsNVIntAmount
Opening balance / PurchasesFace valueInt paid (if cum-int)Total paid
Cr: Interest receivedAmount
Cr: SaleNV of bonds soldInt (if ex-int sale)Proceeds
Cr: Profit on saleProfit
Cr: Closing balanceRemaining NVAccrued intCarrying cost

Worked example

### Example 1

## Q32 — Investment in 8% Bonds

Transactions:

  • 01/04/20 — Purchased 4,500 bonds, FV ₹100 each, at ₹80.50 cum-interest (5 months interest included)
  • 01/05/20 — Half-yearly interest due date
  • 01/10/20 — Sold 1,125 bonds at ₹81 ex-interest
  • 01/11/20 — Half-yearly interest due date
  • 31/03/21 — Year end

---

Working Note 1 — Purchase on 01/04/20 (Cum-Interest)

```

Total paid = 4,500 × ₹80.50 = ₹3,62,250

Interest (5 mths) = 4,50,000 × 8% × 5/12 = ₹15,000

Ex-interest cost = ₹3,62,250 − ₹15,000 = ₹3,47,250

Cost per bond = ₹3,47,250 ÷ 4,500 = ₹77.17

```

Working Note 2 — Sale on 01/10/20 (1,125 bonds, Ex-Interest)

```

Sale proceeds = 1,125 × ₹81 = ₹91,125

Carrying cost = 1,125 × ₹77.17 = ₹86,812

Profit on sale = ₹91,125 − ₹86,812 = ₹4,313

Interest (01/05 to 01/10 = 5 months on 1,125 bonds):

= 1,12,500 × 8% × 5/12 = ₹3,750

(Received separately as ex-interest sale)

```

Working Note 3 — Year-End Accrual (31/03/21)

```

Remaining bonds = 4,500 − 1,125 = 3,375

Face value = 3,375 × ₹100 = ₹3,37,500

Accrued int (01/11/20 to 31/03/21 = 5 months)

= ₹3,37,500 × 8% × 5/12 = ₹11,250

```

Investment in 8% Bonds A/c

DateParticularsNVIntAmountDateParticularsNVIntAmount
01/04/20To Bank (Purchase)4,50,00015,0003,47,25001/05/20By Bank (Int)18,000
01/10/20By P&L (Profit)4,313
01/10/20By Bank (Sale)1,12,5003,75091,125
01/11/20By Bank (Int)13,500
31/03/21By Balance c/d3,37,50011,2502,60,438

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating the full cum-interest price as the cost of the bond — the interest portion must be stripped out and recorded in the Interest column separately.
  • Calculating profit on sale using face value instead of the bond's carrying (cost) value — bonds bought at a discount are not carried at face value.
  • Forgetting to record accrued interest income at year end — any interest earned but not yet due must be shown in the closing balance of the Interest column.
  • Using the wrong period for interest calculation — always count from the last coupon date, not from the purchase date.
  • Netting interest against cost in the Amount column instead of maintaining a separate Interest column — this collapses two distinct figures and makes the ledger non-reconcilable.
Bare-Act text Para 17 – Carrying Amount of Current Investments · AS 13 – Accounting for Investments (ICAI) · click to expand
Current investments should be carried in the financial statements at the lower of cost and fair value determined either on an individual investment basis or by category of investment, but not on an overall (or global) basis.
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