Final answer:
To calculate the equivalent coupon rate on a corporate bond that would produce the same after-tax return as the municipal bond, divide the municipal bond coupon rate by (1 - tax rate). In this case, the equivalent coupon rate would be 9.41%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the coupon rate on a corporate bond that would produce the same after-tax return as the municipal bond, we need to consider the investor's tax bracket. In this case, the investor is in the 15% marginal tax bracket. Since municipal bond interest is tax-exempt, we can calculate the equivalent coupon rate using the formula:
Equivalent Coupon Rate = Municipal Bond Coupon Rate / (1 - Tax Rate)
Plugging in the values, the equivalent coupon rate is:
Equivalent Coupon Rate = 8.0% / (1 - 0.15) = 9.41%