The Merchant Company Issued 10-Year Bonds on January 1

The Merchant Company issued 10-year bonds on January 1. The 15% bonds have a face value of $100,000 and pay interest every January 1 and July 1. The bonds were sold for $117,205 based on the market interest rate of 12%. Merchant uses the effective interest method to amortize bond discounts and premiums. On July 1 of the first year, Merchant should record interest expense (round to the nearest dollar) of

A) $7,032
B) $7,500
C) $8,790
D) $14,065