Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 was 23.9% and 20.8%, respectively, and 21.8% and 17.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 included a discrete income tax benefit of $51 million in the second quarter of 2022 related to a decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from the resolution of a U.S. tax audit. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 included a discrete income tax benefit of $21 million in the third quarter of 2021 related to the utilization of capital losses. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 also benefited from a discrete income tax benefit of $112 million in the second quarter of 2021 related to the remeasurement of net deferred tax assets due to the enactment of the U.K. Finance Bill 2021, which increases the U.K. income tax rate from 19% to 25% effective April 1, 2023. Additionally, the effective tax rates for 2022 and 2021 included discrete income tax benefits related to excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, and $9 million and $14 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Company and its subsidiaries file tax returns in the U.S. and various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. These tax returns are routinely audited by the tax authorities in these jurisdictions, including the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), HM Revenue and Customs, German Fiscal Authority, French Fiscal Authority, and Australian Tax Office, and a number of these audits are currently ongoing, which may increase the amount of the unrecognized tax benefits in future periods. The Company believes it is reasonably possible that within the next twelve months the amount of the Company's unrecognized tax benefits may be decreased by approximately $22 million related predominantly to the potential resolution of income tax examinations. The Company has recorded its best estimate of the potential exposure for these issues.