Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]

Schedule of Income before Income Tax Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]

The sources of income from continuing operations before income taxes are:

(dollars in millions)	2015		2014		2013
United States	$	2,782	$	4,165	$	3,065
Foreign	3,685		4,547		4,589
	$	6,467	$	8,712	$	7,654

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The income tax expense (benefit) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 consisted of the following components:

(dollars in millions)	2015			2014			2013
Current:
United States:
Federal	$	328		$	319		$	390
State	(37		)	38			18
Foreign	1,158			1,484			1,323
	1,449			1,841			1,731
Future:
United States:
Federal	712			421			292
State	109			(23		)	44
Foreign	(159		)	5			(68		)
	662			403			268
Income tax expense	$	2,111		$	2,244		$	1,999
Attributable to items credited (charged) to equity and goodwill	$	(114	)	$	1,535		$	(1,661	)

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

Differences between effective income tax rates and the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate are as follows:

	2015		2014		2013
Statutory U.S. federal income tax rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
Tax on international activities	(2.0	)%	(3.3	)%	(6.2	)%
Tax audit settlements	—	%	(4.3	)%	(0.5	)%
Other	(0.4	)%	(1.6	)%	(2.2	)%
Effective income tax rate	32.6	%	25.8	%	26.1	%

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The tax effects of net temporary differences and tax carryforwards which gave rise to future income tax benefits and payables at December 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:

(dollars in millions)	2015			2014
Future income tax benefits:
Insurance and employee benefits	$	2,650		$	3,033
Other asset basis differences	1,199			369
Other liability basis differences	1,543			1,039
Tax loss carryforwards	528			660
Tax credit carryforwards	872			963
Valuation allowances	(591		)	(612		)
	$	6,201		$	5,452
Future income taxes payable:
Other asset basis differences	$	5,324		$	4,584
Other items, net	531			(124		)
	$	5,855		$	4,460

Summary Of Tax Credit Carryforwards [Table Text Block]

At December 31, 2015, tax credit carryforwards, principally state and foreign, and tax loss carryforwards, principally state and foreign, were as follows:

(dollars in millions)	Tax Credit Carryforwards		Tax Loss Carryforwards
Expiration period:
2016-2020	$	3	$	274
2021-2025	4		127
2026-2035	196		573
Indefinite	668		1,927
Total	$	871	$	2,901

Summary Of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block]

At December 31, 2015, tax credit carryforwards, principally state and foreign, and tax loss carryforwards, principally state and foreign, were as follows:

(dollars in millions)	Tax Credit Carryforwards		Tax Loss Carryforwards
Expiration period:
2016-2020	$	3	$	274
2021-2025	4		127
2026-2035	196		573
Indefinite	668		1,927
Total	$	871	$	2,901

Summary Of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits and interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows: 

(dollars in millions)	2015			2014			2013
Balance at January 1	$	1,089		$	1,223		$	1,073
Additions for tax positions related to the current year	206			164			113
Additions for tax positions of prior years	99			435			211
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(101		)	(47		)	(41		)
Settlements	(124		)	(686		)	(133		)
Balance at December 31	$	1,169		$	1,089		$	1,223
Gross interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits	$	39		$	180		$	51
Total accrued interest balance at December 31	$	176		$	292		$	262