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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes involves a significant amount of management judgment regarding interpretation of relevant facts and laws in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Future changes in applicable laws, projected levels of taxable income and tax planning could change the effective tax rate and tax balances recorded by the Company. In addition, tax authorities periodically review income tax returns filed by the Company and can raise issues regarding its filing positions, timing and amount of income or deductions, and the allocation of income among the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. A significant period of time may elapse between the filing of an income tax return and the ultimate resolution of an issue raised by a revenue authority with respect to that return. In the normal course of business the Company is subject to examination by taxing authorities throughout the world, including such major jurisdictions as Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. In general, the examination of the Company’s material tax returns is complete for the years prior to 2001, with certain matters being resolved through appeals and litigation.
In 2007, the Company received a notice from the IRS containing proposed adjustments to the Company's tax filings in connection with an audit of the 2001 and 2002 tax years. The IRS did not contest the validity of the Company's reincorporation in Bermuda. The IRS proposed to ignore the entities that hold the intercompany debt incurred in connection with the Company's reincorporation in Bermuda (2001 Debt) and to which the interest was paid and impose 30% withholding tax on a portion of the interest payments as if they were made directly to a company that was not eligible for reduced U.S. withholding tax under a U.S. income tax treaty. The IRS asserted that the Company owed additional taxes with respect to 2002 of approximately $84 million plus interest. The Company strongly disagreed with the view of the IRS and filed a protest. In 2010, the Company received an amended notice from the IRS assessing penalties of 30% on the asserted underpayment of tax described above.
The Company has so far been unsuccessful in resolving this dispute and in 2013 received a Notice of Deficiency from the IRS for 2002. The Company filed a petition in the United States Tax Court in November 2013 contesting this deficiency. In its January 2014 answer to the Company’s petition, the IRS asserted that the Company also owes 30% withholding tax on the portion of 2002 interest payments made on the 2001 Debt upon which it did not previously assert withholding tax. A 30% withholding tax on this $85.0 million interest payment would increase the total tax liability proposed for 2002 to $109.0 million ($84 million referred to in the paragraph above plus this additional $25.0 million) plus 30% penalties and interest.
In 2013, the Company received notices from the IRS containing proposed adjustments to the Company's tax filings in connection with an audit of the 2003-2006 tax years. In these notices, the IRS asserts that the Company owes a total of approximately $665 million of additional taxes, as described more fully below, in connection with the Company's interest payments on the 2001 Debt for the 2003-2006 period, plus penalties and interest on these unpaid taxes.
The IRS continues to take the position on the 2001 Debt, which was retired at the end of 2011, that it previously took for the Company's 2002 tax year and which is described above. As a result of this recharacterization, the IRS asserts that the Company owes approximately $455.0 million of withholding tax for 2003-2006 plus 30% penalties.
The IRS also proposes to extend its position further and to treat all of the interest income from the 2001 Debt as creating earnings and profits at IR-Limited and, as a result, recharacterize the distributions made by IR-Limited during the 2002-2006 tax years as taxable dividends instead of as a return of capital. Consequently the IRS asserts that the Company owes approximately $210.0 million of income tax on these dividends plus penalties of 20%.
Although the Company expects it to do so, the IRS has not yet proposed any similar adjustments for years subsequent to 2006, as the federal income tax audits for those years are still in process or have not yet begun. In addition, the Company does not know how the IRS will apply its position to the different facts presented in those years or whether the IRS will take a similar position in future audits with respect to intercompany debt instruments not outstanding in prior years.
The Company has vigorously contested all of these proposed adjustments and intends to continue to do so. Although the outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, based upon an analysis of the merits of the Company's position, the Company believes that it is adequately reserved under the applicable accounting standards for these matters and does not expect that the ultimate resolution will have a material adverse impact on its future results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. As the Company moves forward to resolve these matters with the IRS, the reserves established may be adjusted. Although the Company continues to contest the IRS's position, there can be no assurance that it will be successful. If the IRS's position with respect to the 2002-2006 tax years is ultimately sustained, the Company would be required to record additional charges and the resulting liability will have a material adverse impact on its future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company believes that it has adequately provided for any reasonably foreseeable resolution of any tax disputes, but will adjust its reserves if events so dictate in accordance with GAAP. To the extent that the ultimate results differ from the original or adjusted estimates of the Company, the effect will be recorded in the Provision for income taxes.
Total unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 were $352.0 million and $363.3 million, respectively.