INCOME TAXES

The components of income before income taxes for the three years ended December 31, 2015 were as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
U.S.	$	118,037	$	303,933	$	281,724
Non-U.S.	51,750		71,880		134,717
Total	$	169,787	$	375,813	$	416,441

The components of income tax expense (benefit) for the three years ended December 31, 2015 were as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014		2013
Current:
Federal	$	60,500		$	71,601	$	58,099
Non-U.S.	28,046			24,210		40,348
State and local	9,557			8,235		8,490
	98,103			104,046		106,937
Deferred:
Federal	(47,902		)	15,175		21,946
Non-U.S.	(3,362		)	1,370		(5,734		)
State and local	(4,464		)	1,342		1,605
	(55,728		)	17,887		17,817
Total	$	42,375		$	121,933	$	124,754

The differences between total income tax expense and the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before income taxes for the three years ended December 31, 2015 were as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Statutory rate of 35% applied to pre-tax income	$	59,426		$	131,534		$	145,754
Effect of state and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefit	1,868			6,694			7,124
Asset impairments	2,184			11,674			1,735
Taxes less than the U.S. tax rate on non-U.S. earnings, including utilization of tax loss carry-forwards, losses with no benefit and changes in non-U.S. valuation allowance	(8,499		)	(16,950		)	(20,214		)
Venezuela devaluation	11,396			5,603			1,126
Manufacturing deduction	(9,207		)	(7,316		)	(6,386		)
U.S. tax cost (benefit) of foreign source income	(8,754		)	(514		)	745
Other	(6,039		)	(8,792		)	(5,130		)
Total	$	42,375		$	121,933		$	124,754
Effective tax rate	24.96		%	32.45		%	29.96		%

The 2015 effective tax rate is impacted by impairment charges, the geographic mix of earnings and taxes at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions, including Canada, Mexico, Poland and the United Kingdom, as well as loss utilization in other foreign jurisdictions. Total income tax payments, net of refunds, were $101,939 in 2015, $119,102 in 2014 and $84,567 in 2013.

Deferred Taxes

Significant components of deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014, were as follows:



	December 31,
	2015			2014
Deferred tax assets:
Tax loss and credit carry-forwards	$	44,925		$	46,112
Inventory	1,607			1,931
Other accruals	17,874			15,427
Employee benefits	21,859			20,750
Pension obligations	2,477			4,969
Other	3,795			5,608
Deferred tax assets, gross	92,537			94,797
Valuation allowance	(51,294		)	(48,840		)
Deferred tax assets, net	41,243			45,957
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property, plant and equipment	33,627			37,352
Intangible assets	16,105			18,642
Inventory	10,770			9,623
Pension obligations	9,897			1,731
Other	8,800			10,018
Deferred tax liabilities	79,199			77,366
Total deferred taxes	$	(37,956	)	$	(31,409	)

At December 31, 2015, certain subsidiaries had tax loss carry-forwards of approximately $78,237 that will expire in various years from 2016 through 2032, plus $82,049 for which there is no expiration date.

In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company assesses whether it is more likely than not that a portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, tax planning strategies and projected future taxable income in making this assessment. At December 31, 2015, a valuation allowance of $51,294 was recorded against certain deferred tax assets based on this assessment. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the tax benefit of the remaining net deferred tax assets will be realized. The amount of net deferred tax assets considered realizable could be increased or reduced in the future if the Company's assessment of future taxable income or tax planning strategies changes.

The Company does not provide deferred income taxes on unremitted earnings of certain non-U.S. subsidiaries which are deemed permanently reinvested. It is not practicable to calculate the deferred taxes associated with the remittance of these earnings. Deferred income taxes associated with earnings that are not expected to be permanently reinvested were not significant.

Unrecognized Tax Benefits

Liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits are classified as Accrued taxes non-current unless expected to be paid in one year. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in Income taxes. Current income tax expense included income of $940 for the year ended December 31, 2015 and $1,406 for the year ended December 31, 2014 for interest and penalties. For those same years, the Company's accrual for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits totaled $6,080 and $8,019, respectively.

The following table summarizes the activity related to unrecognized tax benefits:



	2015			2014
Balance at beginning of year	$	18,389		$	25,907
Increase related to current year tax provisions	1,021			700
Increase (decrease) related to prior years' tax positions	317			(848		)
Decrease related to settlements with taxing authorities	(157		)	(1,216		)
Resolution of and other decreases in prior years' tax liabilities	(3,323		)	(3,727		)
Other	(1,915		)	(2,427		)
Balance at end of year	$	14,332		$	18,389

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate was $8,369 at December 31, 2015 and $9,132 at December 31, 2014.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. and various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2011. The Company is currently subject to various U.S. state audits and non-U.S. income tax audits. The Company is generally not able to precisely estimate the ultimate settlement amounts or timing until after the close of an audit. The Company evaluates its tax positions and establishes liabilities for uncertain tax positions that may be challenged by local authorities and may not be fully sustained.

Unrecognized tax benefits are reviewed on an ongoing basis and are adjusted for changing facts and circumstances, including progress of tax audits and closing of statutes of limitations. Based on information currently available, management believes that additional audit activity could be completed and/or statutes of limitations may close relating to existing unrecognized tax benefits. It is reasonably possible there could be a further reduction of $2,312 in prior years' unrecognized tax benefits in 2016.

In July 2012, the Company received a Notice of Reassessment (the "Reassessments") from the Canada Revenue Agency in respect to its 2004 to 2010 taxation years to disallow the deductibility of inter-company dividends. The Company appealed the Reassessments to the Tax Court of Canada. As part of the appeals process to the Tax Court of Canada, the Company had elected to deposit the entire amount of the dispute in order to suspend continuing interest charges.

In September 2014, the Department of Justice Canada consented to a judgment, wholly in the Company's favor. In vacating the reassessment, this tax litigation is concluded. In December 2014 the Company received a partial refund of the cash deposit. In the first quarter of 2015, the Company received a refund of $24,976 which was substantially all of the remaining cash deposit. The Company also received interest on the deposit of $1,596.