NOTE 13 — INCOME TAXES

Recent Tax Legislation

On December 22, 2017, the TCJA was enacted into law, which significantly changes existing U.S. tax law and includes 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. The TCJA required us to incur a one-time 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 also reduced the U.S. federal statutory tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. For fiscal year 2018, our blended U.S. federal statutory tax rate is 28.1%. This is the result of using the tax rate of 35% for the first and second quarter of fiscal year 2018 and the reduced tax rate of 21% for the third and fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018. The TCJA includes a provision to tax global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of foreign subsidiaries and a base erosion anti-abuse tax (“BEAT”) measure that taxes certain payments between a U.S. corporation and its foreign subsidiaries. The GILTI and BEAT provisions of the TCJA will be effective for us beginning July 1, 2018.

The TCJA was effective in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018. As of June 30, 2018, we have not completed our accounting for the estimated tax effects of the TCJA. During fiscal year 2018, we recorded a provisional net charge of $13.7 billion related to the TCJA based on reasonable estimates for those tax effects. Due to the timing of the enactment and the complexity in applying the provisions of the TCJA, the provisional net charge is subject to revisions as we continue to complete our analysis of the TCJA, collect and prepare necessary data, and interpret any additional guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), FASB, and other standard-setting and regulatory bodies. Adjustments may materially impact our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate in the period in which the adjustments are made. Our accounting for the estimated tax effects of the TCJA will be completed during the measurement period, which is not expected to extend beyond one year from the enactment date. The impacts of our estimates are described further below.

During fiscal year 2018, we recorded an estimated net charge of $13.7 billion related to 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.

We recorded an estimated $17.9 billion charge in fiscal year 2018 related to the transition tax, which was included in the provision for income taxes in our consolidated income statements and income taxes in our consolidated balance sheets. We have not yet completed our accounting for the transition tax as our analysis of deferred foreign income is not complete. To calculate the transition tax, we estimated our deferred foreign income for fiscal year 2018 because these tax returns are not complete or due. Fiscal year 2018 taxable income will be known once the respective tax returns are completed and filed. In addition, U.S. and foreign audit settlements may significantly impact the estimated transition tax. The impact of the U.S. and foreign audits on the transition tax will be known as the audits are concluded.

In addition, we recorded an estimated $4.2 billion benefit in fiscal year 2018 from the impact of changes in the tax rate, primarily on deferred tax assets and liabilities, which was included in provision for income taxes in our consolidated income statements and deferred income taxes and long-term income taxes in our consolidated balance sheets. We remeasured our deferred taxes to reflect the reduced rate that will apply when these deferred taxes are settled or realized in future periods.

The TCJA subjects a U.S. corporation to tax on its GILTI. Due to the complexity of the new GILTI tax rules, we are continuing to evaluate this provision of the TCJA and the application of GAAP. 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, and the corresponding deferred tax assets and liabilities are included in the table of deferred income tax assets and liabilities below.

On August 1, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service published on its website proposed regulations relating to the transition tax imposed by the TCJA. Once published in the Federal Register, the proposed regulations are subject to a 60-day comment period. Final regulations are expected to be issued after consideration of comments. We are currently evaluating the impact of the proposed regulations.

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 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 and 2016 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 87%, 76%, and 91% of our foreign income before tax in fiscal years 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Other reconciling items, net consists primarily of tax credits, U.S. state income taxes, and domestic production activities deduction. In fiscal years 2018, 2017, and 2016, there were no individually significant other reconciling items.

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 decrease in our effective tax rate for fiscal year 2017 compared to fiscal year 2016 was primarily due to the realization of tax benefits attributable to previous Phone business losses, offset in part by changes in the mix of our income before income taxes between the U.S. and foreign countries.

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

 

 

We recorded a deferred tax liability of $7.4 billion related to the recognition of revenue as part of the adoption of the new revenue standard.

As of June 30, 2018, we had federal, state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of $257 million, $1.4 billion and $11.4 billion, respectively. The federal and state net operating loss carryforwards will expire in various years from fiscal 2019 through 2038, 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.

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.

Income taxes paid, net of refunds, were $5.5 billion, $2.4 billion, and $3.9 billion in fiscal years 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

Uncertain Tax Positions

Unrecognized tax benefits as of June 30, 2018, 2017, and 2016, were $12.0 billion, $11.7 billion, and $10.2 billion, respectively, and were included in long-term income taxes in our consolidated balance sheets. If recognized, these tax benefits would affect our effective tax rates for fiscal years 2018, 2017, and 2016, by $11.3 billion, $10.2 billion, and $8.8 billion, respectively.

As of June 30, 2018, 2017, and 2016, we had accrued interest expense related to uncertain tax positions of $3.0 billion, $2.3 billion, and $1.9 billion, respectively, net of income tax benefits. Interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits, net of tax effects, was $688 million, $399 million, and $163 million in fiscal years 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and was included in provision for income taxes.

The aggregate changes in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits were as follows:

 

 

While we settled a portion of the IRS audit for tax years 2004 to 2006 during the third quarter of fiscal year 2011, and a portion of the IRS audit for tax years 2007 to 2009 during the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, we remain under audit for those years. In the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, we settled a portion of the IRS audit for tax years 2010 to 2013. We continue to be subject to examination by the IRS for tax years 2010 to 2017. In February 2012, the IRS withdrew its 2011 Revenue Agents Report for tax years 2004 to 2006 and reopened the audit phase of the examination. As of June 30, 2018, the primary unresolved issue relates to transfer pricing, which could have a significant impact in our consolidated financial statements if not resolved favorably. 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 2017, 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.