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Principles of Consolidation and Other Matters
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Principles of Consolidation and Other Matters
Principles of Consolidation and Other Matters
The consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. While certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations for interim filings, the Company believes that the information and disclosures presented are adequate to make such information and disclosures not misleading. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the "2014 10-K").
The financial information contained herein reflects all adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents primarily consist of certificates of deposit and time deposits, with original maturities of three months or less, and money market funds. The estimated fair value of the Company's cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying value. The Company is required to maintain operating funds of approximately $171 million related to regulatory requirements outside the U.S. or as collateral under captive insurance arrangements.
Investments  
The Company holds investments in private companies and private equity funds. Investments in private equity funds are accounted for under the equity method of accounting using a consistently applied three-month lag period adjusted for any known significant changes from the lag period to the reporting date of the Company. The underlying private equity funds follow investment company accounting, where investments within the fund are carried at fair value. The Company records in earnings, investment gains/losses for its proportionate share of the change in fair value of the funds. Investments using the equity method of accounting are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
The caption “Investment income” in the consolidated statements of income comprises realized and unrealized gains and losses from investments recognized in current earnings. It includes, when applicable, other than temporary declines in the value of debt and available for sale securities and the change in value of the Company’s holdings in certain private equity funds, including equity method gains (losses) on its investment in the Trident funds. The Company’s investments may include direct investments in insurance or consulting companies and investments in private equity funds. The Company recorded investment income of $2 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to $13 million for the same period in 2014.
Income Taxes
The Company's effective tax rate in the first quarter of 2015 was 29.2% compared with 29.5% in the first quarter of 2014. These rates reflect non-U.S. income taxed at rates below the U.S. statutory rate, including the effect of repatriation, as well as the impact of discrete tax matters such as changes in circumstances that result in a change in judgment about the beginning balance in valuation allowances, the resolution of tax examinations and expirations of statutes of limitations.
The Company is routinely examined by tax authorities in the jurisdictions in which it has significant operations. The Company regularly considers the likelihood of assessments in each of the taxing jurisdictions resulting from examinations. When evaluating the potential imposition of penalties, the Company considers a number of relevant factors under penalty statutes, including appropriate disclosure of the tax return position, the existence of legal authority supporting the Company's position, and reliance on the opinion of professional tax advisors.
The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in tax returns. The Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits increased from
$97 million at December 31, 2014 to $100 million at March 31, 2015. It is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will decrease between zero and approximately $22 million within the next twelve months due to settlements of audits and expirations of statutes of limitation.