Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Laureate uses the liability method to account for income taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. For interim purposes, we also apply ASC 740-270, “Income Taxes—Interim Reporting.”

Laureate's income tax provisions for all periods consist of federal, state and foreign income taxes. The tax provisions for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were based on estimated full-year effective tax rates, after giving effect to significant items related specifically to the interim periods, including the mix of income for the period between higher-taxed and lower-taxed jurisdictions. Laureate has operations in multiple countries at various statutory tax rates or which are tax-exempt entities, and other operations that are loss-making entities for which it is not more likely than not that a tax benefit will be realized on the loss.

Laureate records interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of Income tax expense. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, Laureate recognized interest and penalties related to income taxes of $647. Laureate had $17,210 of accrued interest and penalties as of March 31, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, Laureate derecognized $4,320 of previously accrued interest and penalties. Approximately $18,709 of unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, will affect the effective income tax rate. It is reasonably possible that Laureate’s unrecognized tax benefits may decrease within the next 12 months by up to approximately $16,291 as a result of the lapse of statutes of limitations and as a result of the final settlement and resolution of outstanding tax matters in various jurisdictions.

As of January 1, 2020, the Company amended the partnership agreement of one of its subsidiaries that owned intellectual property, such that the subsidiary became subject to tax in the Netherlands. The result was a discrete tax benefit of approximately $222,000 that represents the book-and-tax basis difference of the intellectual property, measured based on the intellectual property’s current fair value and applicable Dutch statutory tax rate. Determining the fair value of the intellectual

property, which serves as the tax basis of the deferred tax asset, required management to make assumptions and estimates that are inherently uncertain.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act provides a substantial stimulus and assistance package intended to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including tax relief and government loans, grants and investments. The CARES Act did not have a significant impact on Laureate’s consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020. We continue to monitor any effects that may result from the CARES Act as well as any similar stimulus legislation enacted in other jurisdictions where Laureate has material operations.