Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

In March 2021, we reached an agreement with the IRS, which effectively settled tax years 2012 through 2016. As a result of this effective settlement, in the first quarter of 2021, we recorded a reduction of $43 million to our uncertain tax position balance, which resulted in a $14 million discrete benefit to the provision for income taxes and a $29 million adjustment to our current income tax balance sheet accounts. Tax years that remain subject to examination by the IRS are 2017 onward. As of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, our prepaid taxes, which are presented in "Other current assets" in our unaudited consolidated statements of financial position, were $370 million and $274 million, respectively.

Our effective income tax rates were as follows:


	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Effective income tax rate	26.5	%	27.1	%	25.3	%	27.5	%

The effective tax rate decreased in 2021 as compared to 2020 primarily as a result of significantly lower non-deductible foreign currency exchange losses in our unaudited consolidated statement of operations in the 2021 period.

We are involved in an ongoing dispute with the ITD in connection with a previously disclosed transaction undertaken by CTS India in 2016 to repurchase shares from its shareholders (non-Indian Cognizant entities) valued at $2.8 billion. As a result of that transaction, which was undertaken pursuant to a plan approved by the High Court in Chennai, India, we previously paid $135 million in Indian income taxes - an amount we believe includes all applicable taxes owed for this transaction under Indian law. In March 2018, we received a communication from the ITD asserting that the ITD is owed an additional 33 billion Indian rupees ($444 million at the June 30, 2021 exchange rate) on the 2016 transaction. Immediately thereafter, the ITD placed an attachment on certain of our India bank accounts. In addition to the dispute on the 2016 transaction, we are also involved in another ongoing dispute with the ITD relating to a 2013 transaction undertaken by CTS India to repurchase shares from its shareholders valued at $523 million (the two disputes are collectively referred to as the "ITD Dispute").

In April 2018, the High Court admitted our writ petition for a stay of the actions of the ITD and lifted the ITD’s attachment on our bank accounts. As part of the interim stay order, we deposited 5 billion Indian rupees ($67 million at the June 30, 2021 exchange rate and $68 million at the December 31, 2020 exchange rate) representing 15% of the disputed tax amount related to the 2016 transaction, with the ITD. In addition, the High Court placed a lien on certain time deposits of CTS India in the amount of 28 billion Indian rupees ($377 million at the June 30, 2021 exchange rate and $384 million at the December 31, 2020 exchange rate), which is the remainder of the disputed tax amount related to the 2016 transaction.

In June 2019, the High Court dismissed our previously admitted writ petitions on the ITD Dispute, holding that the Company must exhaust other remedies, such as pursuing the matter before other appellate bodies, for resolution of the ITD Dispute prior to intervention by the High Court. The High Court did not issue a ruling on the substantive issue of whether we owe additional tax as a result of either the 2016 or the 2013 transaction. In July 2019, we appealed the High Court’s orders before the Division Bench. In September 2019, the Division Bench partly allowed the Company’s appeal with respect to the 2016 transaction, but did not issue a ruling on the substantive issue of the tax implications of the transactions. In October 2019, we filed a SLP before the SCI with respect to the 2016 transaction. In March 2020, the SCI referred the case based on the 2016 transaction back to the ITD with directions to carry out the assessment following the due process of law. Further, until the conclusion of the assessment, the SCI maintained in place the lien on our 28 billion Indian rupees time deposit and did not order the release of the 5 billion Indian rupees deposit held by the ITD. In April 2020, we received an assessment from the ITD, which is consistent with its previous assertions regarding our 2016 transaction. In June 2020, we filed an appeal against this assessment.

As of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the balance of deposits under lien was $397 million and $405 million, respectively, presented in "Long-term investments", including a portion of the interest previously earned. As of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the deposit with the ITD was $67 million and $68 million respectively, presented in "Other noncurrent assets".

We believe we have paid all applicable taxes owed on both the 2016 and the 2013 transactions. Accordingly, we have not recorded any reserves for these matters as of June 30, 2021.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information.

+ References + Details