Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Taxes
Income Taxes	20. Income Taxes The applicable income tax expense was $475 million and $178 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $694 million and $390 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The effective tax rates for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were 31.9% and 25.6%, respectively, and 29.2% and 25.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Net tax deficiencies of $6 million were reclassified from capital surplus to applicable income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, related to the early adoption of ASU 2016-09 during the fourth quarter of 2016, with an effective date of January 1, 2016. The increase in the effective tax rate for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same periods in the prior year was primarily the result of elevated pre-tax income in the third quarter of 2017 related to the sale of a portion of the Bancorp’s interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. While it is reasonably possible that the amount of the unrecognized tax benefits with respect to certain of the Bancorp’s uncertain tax positions could increase or decrease during the next 12 months, the Bancorp believes it is unlikely that its unrecognized tax benefits will change by a material amount during the next 12 months.

20. Income Taxes

The applicable income tax expense was $475 million and $178 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $694 million and $390 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The effective tax rates for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were 31.9% and 25.6%, respectively, and 29.2% and 25.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Net tax deficiencies of $6 million were reclassified from capital surplus to applicable income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, related to the early adoption of ASU 2016-09 during the fourth quarter of 2016, with an effective date of January 1, 2016. The increase in the effective tax rate for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same periods in the prior year was primarily the result of elevated pre-tax income in the third quarter of 2017 related to the sale of a portion of the Bancorp’s interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC.

While it is reasonably possible that the amount of the unrecognized tax benefits with respect to certain of the Bancorp’s uncertain tax positions could increase or decrease during the next 12 months, the Bancorp believes it is unlikely that its unrecognized tax benefits will change by a material amount during the next 12 months.