NOTE 12 — INCOME TAXES

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) was enacted into law, which significantly changed existing U.S. tax law and included numerous provisions that affect our business, such as imposing a one-time transition tax on deemed repatriation of deferred foreign income, reducing the U.S. federal statutory tax rate, and adopting a territorial tax system. In fiscal year 2018, the TCJA required us to incur a transition tax on deferred foreign income not previously subject to U.S. income tax at a rate of 15.5% for foreign cash and certain other net current assets, and 8% on the remaining income. The TCJA reduced the U.S. federal statutory tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. In addition, the TCJA subjects us to a tax on our GILTI effective July 1, 2018.

Under GAAP, we can make an accounting policy election to either treat taxes due on the GILTI inclusion as a current period expense or factor such amounts into our measurement of deferred taxes. We elected the deferred method, under which we recorded the corresponding deferred tax assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets.

During fiscal year 2018, we recorded a net charge of $13.7 billion related to the enactment of the TCJA, due to the impact of the one-time transition tax on the deemed repatriation of deferred foreign income of $17.9 billion, offset in part by the impact of changes in the tax rate of $4.2 billion, primarily on deferred tax assets and liabilities. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, we recorded additional tax expense of $157 million, which related to completing our provisional accounting for GILTI deferred taxes pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, in response to the TCJA and recently issued regulations, we transferred certain intangible properties held by our foreign subsidiaries to the U.S. and Ireland. The transfers of intangible properties resulted in a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, as the value of future tax deductions exceeded the current tax liability from foreign jurisdictions and U.S. GILTI tax.

Provision for Income Taxes  

The components of the provision for income taxes were as follows:

 

 

U.S. and foreign components of income before income taxes were as follows:

 

 

Effective Tax Rate

The items accounting for the difference between income taxes computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate and our effective rate were as follows:

 

 

 

The decrease from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2019 is primarily due to a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit related to intangible property transfers, and earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions resulting from producing and distributing our products and services through our foreign regional operations centers in Ireland, Singapore, and Puerto Rico. The increase from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2018 is primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, offset in part by earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions. The decrease from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2017 is primarily due to earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions. Our foreign regional operating centers in Ireland, Singapore and Puerto Rico, which are taxed at rates lower than the U.S. rate, generated 82%, 87%, and 76% of our foreign income before tax in fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Other reconciling items, net consists primarily of tax credits, GILTI, and U.S. state income taxes. In fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, there were no individually significant other reconciling items.

The decrease in our effective tax rate for fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018 was primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, and a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 related to intangible property transfers. The increase in our effective tax rate for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017 was primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA and the realization of tax benefits attributable to previous Phone business losses in fiscal year 2017.

The components of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities were as follows:  

 

 

Deferred income tax balances reflect the effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases and are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when the taxes are paid or recovered.

As of June 30, 2019, we had federal, state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of $978 million, $770 million, and $11.6 billion, respectively. The federal and state net operating loss carryforwards will expire in various years from fiscal 2020 through 2039, if not utilized. The majority of our foreign net operating loss carryforwards do not expire. Certain acquired net operating loss carryforwards are subject to an annual limitation, but are expected to be realized with the exception of those which have a valuation allowance.

The valuation allowance disclosed in the table above relates to the foreign net operating loss carryforwards and other net deferred tax assets that may not be realized.

Income taxes paid, net of refunds, were $8.4 billion, $5.5 billion, and $2.4 billion in fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Uncertain Tax Positions

Gross unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions as of June 30, 2019, 2018, and 2017, were $13.1 billion, $12.0 billion, and $11.7 billion, respectively, which were primarily included in long-term income taxes in our consolidated balance sheets. If recognized, the resulting tax benefit would affect our effective tax rates for fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017 by $12.0 billion, $11.3 billion, and $10.2 billion, respectively.

As of June 30, 2019, 2018, and 2017, we had accrued interest expense related to uncertain tax positions of $3.4 billion, $3.0 billion, and $2.3 billion, respectively, net of income tax benefits. The provision for (benefit from) income taxes for fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017 included interest expense related to uncertain tax positions of $515 million, $688 million, and $399 million, respectively, net of income tax benefits.

The aggregate changes in the gross unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions were as follows:

 

 

We settled a portion of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) audit for tax years 2004 to 2006 in fiscal year 2011. In February 2012, the IRS withdrew its 2011 Revenue Agents Report related to unresolved issues for tax years 2004 to 2006 and reopened the audit phase of the examination. We also settled a portion of the IRS audit for tax years 2007 to 2009 in fiscal year 2016, and a portion of the IRS audit for tax years 2010 to 2013 in fiscal year 2018. We remain under audit for tax years 2004 to 2013. We expect the IRS to begin an examination of tax years 2014 to 2017 within the next 12 months.

As of June 30, 2019, the primary unresolved issues for the IRS audits relate to transfer pricing, which could have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements when the matters are resolved. We believe our allowances for income tax contingencies are adequate. We have not received a proposed assessment for the unresolved issues and do not expect a final resolution of these issues in the next 12 months. Based on the information currently available, we do not anticipate a significant increase or decrease to our tax contingencies for these issues within the next 12 months.

We are subject to income tax in many jurisdictions outside the U.S. Our operations in certain jurisdictions remain subject to examination for tax years 1996 to 2018, some of which are currently under audit by local tax authorities. The resolution of each of these audits is not expected to be material to our consolidated financial statements.