INCOME TAXES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES The operations conducted by the Company’s REIT entities are generally not subject to U.S. federal and state income tax. The New Zealand JV is subject to corporate level tax in New Zealand. Non-REIT qualifying operations are conducted by the Company’s TRS. The primary businesses performed in Rayonier’s TRS include log trading and certain real estate activities, such as the sale, entitlement and development of HBU properties. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded income tax expense of $8.4 million and $22.4 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded income tax expense of $3.0 million and $16.8 million, respectively. PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES The Company’s effective tax rate is below the 21.0% U.S. statutory rate due to tax benefits associated with being a REIT. The Company’s annualized effective tax rate (“AETR”) as of September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017 was 16.5% and 15.1%, respectively. The company’s tax expense is principally related to New Zealand corporate level tax on the New Zealand JV income. In accordance with GAAP, the Company recognizes the impact of a tax position if a position is “more-likely-than-not” to prevail. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, there were no material changes in uncertain tax positions. U.S. TAX REFORM The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law on December 22, 2017 making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include a permanent reduction in the U.S. statutory corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018 and a one-time transition tax on the deemed repatriation of deferred foreign earnings in 2017. The Company has completed its assessment of the accounting implications of the Act. The remeasurement of U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities resulting from the permanent reduction in the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate resulted in no P&L impact as the Company has a full valuation allowance against U.S. deferred tax assets (net of liabilities). Further, mandatory deemed repatriation had no material impact as the income inclusion was offset by net operating losses (NOL). The Act subjects a U.S. shareholder to current tax on global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) earned by certain foreign subsidiaries effective January 1, 2018. For current year, the Company’s REIT entity has a GILTI income inclusion of $1.4 million. The FASB Staff Q&A, Topic 740 No. 5, Accounting for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, states that an entity can make an accounting policy election to either recognize deferred taxes for temporary differences expected to reverse as GILTI in future years or provide for the tax expense related to GILTI in the year the tax is incurred. Due to the Company’s REIT status and the corresponding distribution requirement, the Company has neither a deferred tax related to GILTI nor any current tax expense. ADOPTION OF ASU 2018-02 The Company evaluates releasing income tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income each quarter as part of its analysis of AOCI. The Company elected to adopt ASU No. 2018-02 during the third quarter of 2018 and reclassified the resulting income tax effects from AOCI to retained earnings. The reclassification decreased AOCI and increased retained earnings by $0.7 million, with zero net effect on total shareholders’ equity.

INCOME TAXES

The operations conducted by the Company’s REIT entities are generally not subject to U.S. federal and state income tax. The New Zealand JV is subject to corporate level tax in New Zealand. Non-REIT qualifying operations are conducted by the Company’s TRS. The primary businesses performed in Rayonier’s TRS include log trading and certain real estate activities, such as the sale, entitlement and development of HBU properties. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded income tax expense of $8.4 million and $22.4 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded income tax expense of $3.0 million and $16.8 million, respectively.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The Company’s effective tax rate is below the 21.0% U.S. statutory rate due to tax benefits associated with being a REIT. The Company’s annualized effective tax rate (“AETR”) as of September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017 was 16.5% and 15.1%, respectively. The company’s tax expense is principally related to New Zealand corporate level tax on the New Zealand JV income.

In accordance with GAAP, the Company recognizes the impact of a tax position if a position is “more-likely-than-not” to prevail. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, there were no material changes in uncertain tax positions.

U.S. TAX REFORM

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law on December 22, 2017 making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include a permanent reduction in the U.S. statutory corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018 and a one-time transition tax on the deemed repatriation of deferred foreign earnings in 2017.

The Company has completed its assessment of the accounting implications of the Act. The remeasurement of U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities resulting from the permanent reduction in the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate resulted in no P&L impact as the Company has a full valuation allowance against U.S. deferred tax assets (net of liabilities). Further, mandatory deemed repatriation had no material impact as the income inclusion was offset by net operating losses (NOL).

The Act subjects a U.S. shareholder to current tax on global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) earned by certain foreign subsidiaries effective January 1, 2018. For current year, the Company’s REIT entity has a GILTI income inclusion of $1.4 million. The FASB Staff Q&A, Topic 740 No. 5, Accounting for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, states that an entity can make an accounting policy election to either recognize deferred taxes for temporary differences expected to reverse as GILTI in future years or provide for the tax expense related to GILTI in the year the tax is incurred. Due to the Company’s REIT status and the corresponding distribution requirement, the Company has neither a deferred tax related to GILTI nor any current tax expense.

ADOPTION OF ASU 2018-02

The Company evaluates releasing income tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income each quarter as part of its analysis of AOCI. The Company elected to adopt ASU No. 2018-02 during the third quarter of 2018 and reclassified the resulting income tax effects from AOCI to retained earnings. The reclassification decreased AOCI and increased retained earnings by $0.7 million, with zero net effect on total shareholders’ equity.