Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	INCOME TAXES Our effective tax rate increased from 32.1% to 32.6% for the three months ended June 30, 2014 primarily due to higher pre-tax earnings in the U.S. which is taxed at a higher rate. Our effective tax rate decreased from 32.1% to 29.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2014 primarily as a result of a $21 million benefit from the favorable resolution of an issue with U.S. federal taxing authorities related to guest marketing. This benefit compares to a $3 million benefit we recognized in the 2013 first quarter due to retroactive provisions of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. For the 2014 second quarter, our unrecognized tax benefits balance of $14 million remained unchanged from the 2014 first quarter. For the 2014 first half, our unrecognized tax benefits balance decreased by $20 million from year-end 2013. The unrecognized tax benefits balance included $12 million of tax positions that, if recognized, would impact our effective tax rate. We file income tax returns, including returns for our subsidiaries, in various jurisdictions around the world. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has examined our federal income tax returns, and we have settled all issues for tax years through 2009. We participate in the IRS Compliance Assurance Program, which accelerates IRS examination of key transactions with the goal of resolving any issues before the taxpayer files its return. As a result, the audits of our open tax years 2010 through 2012 are complete, including all matters that could affect the Company's cash tax benefits related to our spin-off in 2011 of our timeshare operations and timeshare development business, while the 2013 and 2014 tax year audits are currently ongoing. Various foreign, state, and local income tax returns are also under examination by the applicable taxing authorities. We paid cash for income taxes, net of refunds of $54 million in the 2014 first half and $37 million in the 2013 first half.

Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

INCOME TAXES

Our effective tax rate increased from 32.1% to 32.6% for the three months ended June 30, 2014 primarily due to higher pre-tax earnings in the U.S. which is taxed at a higher rate. Our effective tax rate decreased from 32.1% to 29.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2014 primarily as a result of a $21 million benefit from the favorable resolution of an issue with U.S. federal taxing authorities related to guest marketing. This benefit compares to a $3 million benefit we recognized in the 2013 first quarter due to retroactive provisions of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

For the 2014 second quarter, our unrecognized tax benefits balance of $14 million remained unchanged from the 2014 first quarter. For the 2014 first half, our unrecognized tax benefits balance decreased by $20 million from year-end 2013. The unrecognized tax benefits balance included $12 million of tax positions that, if recognized, would impact our effective tax rate.

We file income tax returns, including returns for our subsidiaries, in various jurisdictions around the world. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has examined our federal income tax returns, and we have settled all issues for tax years through 2009. We participate in the IRS Compliance Assurance Program, which accelerates IRS examination of key transactions with the goal of resolving any issues before the taxpayer files its return. As a result, the audits of our open tax years 2010 through 2012 are complete, including all matters that could affect the Company's cash tax benefits related to our spin-off in 2011 of our timeshare operations and timeshare development business, while the 2013 and 2014 tax year audits are currently ongoing. Various foreign, state, and local income tax returns are also under examination by the applicable taxing authorities.

We paid cash for income taxes, net of refunds of $54 million in the 2014 first half and $37 million in the 2013 first half.