INCOME TAXES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES	13. INCOME TAXES The income tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of the annual effective tax rate, adjusted for discrete items, if any, that are taken into account in the relevant period. Each quarter, the estimate of the annual effective tax rate is updated, and if the estimated effective tax rate changes, a cumulative adjustment is made. There is a potential for volatility of the effective tax rate due to several factors, including changes in the mix of the pre-tax income and the jurisdictions to which it relates, changes in tax laws, settlements with taxing authorities and foreign currency fluctuations. The effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes was 36.9% and 26.7% in the third quarter 2019 and 2018, respectively. The effective tax rate includes a discrete tax provision of 5.9% for the third quarter of 2019 related to settlement of a tax audit in a foreign jurisdiction and is net of a discrete tax benefit of (0.6%) for the third quarter of 2018 related to the recognition of excess tax benefits for share-based payment awards. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes was 31.1% and 26.8%, respectively. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 the effective rate includes a discrete tax provision of 2.2% related to settlement of a tax audit in a foreign jurisdiction and for nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the effective rate is net of a discrete tax benefit of (0.7%) and (1.1%), respectively, related primarily to the recognition of excess tax benefits for share-based payment awards The effective rate before discrete items varies from the statutory rate primarily due to differences in state taxes, the impact of international tax provisions in the US, the difference in foreign tax rates and the mix of foreign and domestic income. The increase in the effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes from third quarter 2018 to 2019 is a result of limited deductibility of Executive Compensation and Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, both of which are on-going provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was enacted on December 22, 2017. In relation to the tax audit settlement in a foreign jurisdiction during the third quarter of 2019, the Company also received a $384 assessment of a non-income-based tax expense that is included in other expense (income) in the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

13. INCOME TAXES

The income tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of the annual effective tax rate, adjusted for discrete items, if any, that are taken into account in the relevant period. Each quarter, the estimate of the annual effective tax rate is updated, and if the estimated effective tax rate changes, a cumulative adjustment is made. There is a potential for volatility of the effective tax rate due to several factors, including changes in the mix of the pre-tax income and the jurisdictions to which it relates, changes in tax laws, settlements with taxing authorities and foreign currency fluctuations.

The effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes was 36.9% and 26.7% in the third quarter 2019 and 2018, respectively. The effective tax rate includes a discrete tax provision of 5.9% for the third quarter of 2019 related to settlement of a tax audit in a foreign jurisdiction and is net of a discrete tax benefit of (0.6%) for the third quarter of 2018 related to the recognition of excess tax benefits for share-based payment awards. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes was 31.1% and 26.8%, respectively. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 the effective rate includes a discrete tax provision of 2.2% related to settlement of a tax audit in a foreign jurisdiction and for nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the effective rate is net of a discrete tax benefit of (0.7%) and (1.1%), respectively, related primarily to the recognition of excess tax benefits for share-based payment awards

The effective rate before discrete items varies from the statutory rate primarily due to differences in state taxes, the impact of international tax provisions in the US, the difference in foreign tax rates and the mix of foreign and domestic income. The increase in the effective income tax rate as a percentage of income before income taxes from third quarter 2018 to 2019 is a result of limited deductibility of Executive Compensation and Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, both of which are on-going provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was enacted on December 22, 2017.

In relation to the tax audit settlement in a foreign jurisdiction during the third quarter of 2019, the Company also received a $384 assessment of a non-income-based tax expense that is included in other expense (income) in the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2019.