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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Income Taxes
Note 15 – Income Taxes

Our effective tax rate was 22.0% and 20.3% for the three month periods ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010, respectively, and was 23.9% and 21.2% for the six month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, as compared with the statutory rate of 35.0%. In both the six month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, our tax rate continued to benefit from favorable tax rates on certain foreign business activity.

In 2009, we established a valuation allowance against substantially all of our U.S. deferred tax asset based upon the consideration of all available evidence, both positive and negative, using a “more likely than not” standard.  As of June 30, 2011, we have concluded, based on this standard, that a valuation allowance is still appropriate against a significant portion of our U.S. deferred tax assets.

Our accounting policy is to account for interest expense and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as income tax expense.  As of June 30, 2011, we have approximately $1.3 million of accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions included in the $18.7 million of unrecognized tax benefits, $10.5 million of which, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate.

We are subject to numerous tax filings including U.S. Federal, various state and foreign jurisdictions.  Currently, the following tax years remain open to the possibility of audit, by jurisdiction: U.S. Federal 2007 – 2010, various states 2006 – 2010, and foreign 2006 – 2010.