Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Income Taxes	Note 7 — Income Taxes Refer to Notes 1 and 15 of the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014, which are included as Exhibit 13.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the SEC, for a discussion regarding income taxes. TSYS is the parent of an affiliated group that files a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return and most state and foreign income tax returns on a separate entity basis. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examinations by these taxing authorities unless statutory examination periods lapse. TSYS is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years before 2011 and with few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations from state and local or foreign tax authorities for years before 2008. There are currently federal income tax examinations in progress for the years 2009 through 2012 for a subsidiary which TSYS acquired in 2013. Additionally, a number of tax examinations are in progress by the relevant state tax authorities. Although TSYS is unable to determine the ultimate outcome of these examinations, TSYS believes that its liability for uncertain tax positions relating to these jurisdictions for such years is adequate. TSYS’ effective income tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2015 was 24.3%, compared to 32.2% for the same period in 2014. TSYS’ effective income tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 30.1%, compared to 32.9% for the same period in 2014. The primary differences in the 2015 rates compared to 2014 rates reflect changes in discrete items primarily due to increased federal tax credits realized during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015. The calculation of the effective tax rate is income taxes adjusted for income taxes associated with noncontrolling interest and equity income divided by TSYS’ pretax income adjusted for noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries’ net income and equity pre-tax earnings of its equity investments. GAAP prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits increased by $4.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2015. TSYS recognizes potential interest and penalties related to the underpayment of income taxes as income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income. Gross accrued interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits totaled $0.7 million and $0.3 million as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The total amounts of unrecognized income tax benefits as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rates are $11.6 million and $6.5 million (net of the federal benefit on state tax issues), respectively, which include interest and penalties of $0.5 million and $0.2 million, respectively. TSYS does not expect any material changes to its calculation of uncertain tax positions during the next twelve months.

Note 7 — Income Taxes

Refer to Notes 1 and 15 of the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014, which are included as Exhibit 13.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the SEC, for a discussion regarding income taxes.

TSYS is the parent of an affiliated group that files a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return and most state and foreign income tax returns on a separate entity basis. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examinations by these taxing authorities unless statutory examination periods lapse. TSYS is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years before 2011 and with few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations from state and local or foreign tax authorities for years before 2008. There are currently federal income tax examinations in progress for the years 2009 through 2012 for a subsidiary which TSYS acquired in 2013. Additionally, a number of tax examinations are in progress by the relevant state tax authorities. Although TSYS is unable to determine the ultimate outcome of these examinations, TSYS believes that its liability for uncertain tax positions relating to these jurisdictions for such years is adequate.

TSYS’ effective income tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2015 was 24.3%, compared to 32.2% for the same period in 2014. TSYS’ effective income tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 30.1%, compared to 32.9% for the same period in 2014. The primary differences in the 2015 rates compared to 2014 rates reflect changes in discrete items primarily due to increased federal tax credits realized during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015. The calculation of the effective tax rate is income taxes adjusted for income taxes associated with noncontrolling interest and equity income divided by TSYS’ pretax income adjusted for noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries’ net income and equity pre-tax earnings of its equity investments.

GAAP prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits increased by $4.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

TSYS recognizes potential interest and penalties related to the underpayment of income taxes as income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income. Gross accrued interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits totaled $0.7 million and $0.3 million as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The total amounts of unrecognized income tax benefits as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rates are $11.6 million and $6.5 million (net of the federal benefit on state tax issues), respectively, which include interest and penalties of $0.5 million and $0.2 million, respectively. TSYS does not expect any material changes to its calculation of uncertain tax positions during the next twelve months.