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Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
The components of income tax expense for 2020, 2019 and 2018 are presented in the table below.
Income Tax Expense
(Dollars in millions)202020192018
Current income tax expense   
U.S. federal$1,092 $1,136 $816 
U.S. state and local1,076 901 1,377 
Non-U.S. 670 852 1,203 
Total current expense2,838 2,889 3,396 
Deferred income tax expense   
U.S. federal(799)2,001 2,579 
U.S. state and local(233)223 240 
Non-U.S. (705)211 222 
Total deferred expense(1,737)2,435 3,041 
Total income tax expense$1,101 $5,324 $6,437 
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation A reconciliation of the expected U.S. federal income tax expense, calculated by applying the federal statutory tax rate, to the Corporation’s actual income tax expense, and the effective tax rates for 2020, 2019 and 2018 are presented in the table below.
Reconciliation of Income Tax Expense
 AmountPercentAmountPercentAmountPercent
(Dollars in millions)202020192018
Expected U.S. federal income tax expense$3,989 21.0 %$6,878 21.0 %$7,263 21.0 %
Increase (decrease) in taxes resulting from:
State tax expense, net of federal benefit728 3.8 1,283 3.9 1,367 4.0 
Affordable housing/energy/other credits(2,869)(15.1)(2,365)(7.2)(1,888)(5.5)
Tax law changes(699)(3.7)— — — — 
Tax-exempt income, including dividends(346)(1.8)(433)(1.3)(413)(1.2)
Share-based compensation(129)(0.7)(225)(0.7)(257)(0.7)
Changes in prior-period UTBs, including interest(41)(0.2)(613)(1.9)144 0.4 
Nondeductible expenses324 1.7 290 0.9 302 0.9 
Rate differential on non-U.S. earnings218 1.1 504 1.5 98 0.3 
Other(74)(0.3)0.1 (179)(0.6)
Total income tax expense (benefit)$1,101 5.8 %$5,324 16.3 %$6,437 18.6 %
Reconciliation of Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits
The reconciliation of the beginning unrecognized tax benefits (UTB) balance to the ending balance is presented in the following table.
Reconciliation of the Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits
(Dollars in millions)202020192018
Balance, January 1$1,175 $2,197 $1,773 
Increases related to positions taken during the current year
238 238 395 
Increases related to positions taken during prior years (1)
99 401 406 
Decreases related to positions taken during prior years (1)
(172)(1,102)(371)
Settlements (541)(6)
Expiration of statute of limitations (18)— 
Balance, December 31$1,340 $1,175 $2,197 
(1)    The sum of the positions taken during prior years differs from the $(41) million, $(613) million and $144 million in the Reconciliation of Income Tax Expense table due to temporary items, state items and jurisdictional offsets, as well as the inclusion of interest in the Reconciliation of Income Tax Expense table.
Summary of Income Tax Examinations The following table summarizes the status of examinations by major jurisdiction for the Corporation and various subsidiaries at December 31, 2020.
Tax Examination Status
Years under
Examination (1)
Status at December 31 2020
United States2017-2020Field Examination
California2012-2017Field Examination
New York2016-2018Field Examination
United Kingdom (2)
2018Field Examination
(1)    All tax years subsequent to the years shown remain subject to examination.
(2) Field examination for tax year 2019 to begin in 2021.
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities Significant components of the Corporation’s net deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2020 and 2019 are presented in the following table.
Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities
 December 31
(Dollars in millions)20202019
Deferred tax assets  
Net operating loss carryforwards$7,717 $7,417 
Allowance for credit losses4,701 2,354 
Security, loan and debt valuations2,571 1,860 
Lease liability2,400 2,321 
Employee compensation and retirement benefits1,582 1,622 
Accrued expenses1,481 1,719 
Credit carryforwards484 183 
Other1,412 1,203 
Gross deferred tax assets22,348 18,679 
Valuation allowance(2,346)(1,989)
Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation
allowance
20,002 16,690 
  
Deferred tax liabilities
Equipment lease financing3,101 2,933 
Right-to-use asset2,296 2,246 
Fixed assets1,957 1,505 
ESG-related tax credit investments1,930 1,577 
Available-for-sale securities
1,701 100 
Other1,570 1,885 
Gross deferred tax liabilities12,555 10,246 
Net deferred tax assets$7,447 $6,444 
Schedule of Operating Loss Carryforwards
The table below summarizes the deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances recognized for the net operating loss (NOL) and tax credit carryforwards at December 31, 2020.
Net Operating Loss and Tax Credit Carryforward Deferred Tax Assets
(Dollars in millions)Deferred
Tax Asset
Valuation
Allowance
Net
Deferred
Tax Asset
First Year
Expiring
Net operating losses - U.S. 
$36 $— $36 After 2028
Net operating losses - U.K. (1)
5,896 — 5,896 None
Net operating losses - other non-U.S. 
506 (441)65 Various
Net operating losses - U.S. states (2)
1,279 (579)700 Various
Foreign tax credits484 (484) After 2028
(1)Represents U.K. broker-dealer net operating losses that may be carried forward indefinitely.
(2)The net operating losses and related valuation allowances for U.S. states before considering the benefit of federal deductions were $1.6 billion and $733 million.
Summary of Tax Credit Carryforwards
The table below summarizes the deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances recognized for the net operating loss (NOL) and tax credit carryforwards at December 31, 2020.
Net Operating Loss and Tax Credit Carryforward Deferred Tax Assets
(Dollars in millions)Deferred
Tax Asset
Valuation
Allowance
Net
Deferred
Tax Asset
First Year
Expiring
Net operating losses - U.S. 
$36 $— $36 After 2028
Net operating losses - U.K. (1)
5,896 — 5,896 None
Net operating losses - other non-U.S. 
506 (441)65 Various
Net operating losses - U.S. states (2)
1,279 (579)700 Various
Foreign tax credits484 (484) After 2028
(1)Represents U.K. broker-dealer net operating losses that may be carried forward indefinitely.
(2)The net operating losses and related valuation allowances for U.S. states before considering the benefit of federal deductions were $1.6 billion and $733 million.