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Income Tax
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax
22. Income Tax
The Company’s provision for income tax was as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
202420232022
(In millions)
Current:
U.S. federal
$707 $381 $159 
U.S. state and local
90 46 45 
Non-U.S.
1,147 1,240 1,074 
Subtotal
1,944 1,667 1,278 
Deferred:
U.S. federal
(56)(591)1,234 
U.S. state and local
— (4)— 
Non-U.S.
(710)(512)(1,450)
Subtotal
(766)(1,107)(216)
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)
$1,178 $560 $1,062 
The Company’s income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) was as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
202420232022
(In millions)
Income (loss):
U.S.
$3,955 $(95)$5,785 
Non-U.S.
1,667 2,257 579 
Total
$5,622 $2,162 $6,364 
The reconciliation of the income tax provision at the U.S. statutory rate to the provision for income tax as reported was as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
202420232022
(In millions)
Tax provision at U.S. statutory rate$1,181 $454 $1,337 
Tax effect of:
Dividend received deduction(19)(18)(20)
Tax-exempt income(43)(34)15 
Prior year tax (1), (2)
44 (12)(15)
Low income housing tax credits6 (116)(143)
Other tax credits(38)(39)(44)
Foreign tax rate differential (3), (4), (5)
22 312 (85)
Changes in tax law (6)
— (198)— 
Change in valuation allowance (6)
6 187 — 
Other, net19 24 17 
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)$1,178 $560 $1,062 
__________________
(1)As discussed further below, prior year tax primarily includes non-cash charges related to an uncertain tax position of $57 million for the year ended December 31, 2024.
(2)As discussed further below, prior year tax primarily includes non-cash benefits related to an uncertain tax position of $32 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(3)For the year ended December 31, 2024, foreign tax rate differential includes tax charges of $5 million related to the U.S. tax on Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”) of which $33 million is a current year charge, offset by a $28 million tax benefit revising the 2023 estimate.
(4)For the year ended December 31, 2023, foreign tax rate differential includes tax charges of $28 million related to MetLife Malaysia and $22 million related to the U.S. tax on GILTI of which $28 million is a current year charge, offset by a $6 million tax benefit revising the 2022 estimate.
(5)For the year ended December 31, 2022, foreign tax rate differential includes tax charges of $12 million related to the U.S. tax on GILTI of which $33 million is a current year charge, offset by a $21 million tax benefit revising the 2021 estimate.
(6)For the year ended December 31, 2023, changes in tax law include tax benefits of $198 million and a change in valuation allowance includes a tax charge of $198 million related to adjustments of deferred taxes due to the enactment of the Bermuda Corporate Income Tax.
Deferred income tax represents the tax effect of the differences between the book and tax bases of assets and liabilities. Net deferred income tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following at:
December 31,
20242023
(In millions)
Deferred income tax assets:
Policyholder liabilities and receivables
$4,233 $3,476 
Net operating loss carryforwards (1)
247 256 
Employee benefits
519 523 
Capital loss carryforwards
31 29 
Tax credit carryforwards (2)
299 82 
Net unrealized investment losses5,879 4,308 
Litigation-related and government mandated
103 101 
Other260 393 
Total gross deferred income tax assets
11,571 9,168 
Less: Valuation allowance (3)
685 496 
Total net deferred income tax assets
10,886 8,672 
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Investments, including derivatives
3,469 2,054 
Intangibles
836 1,004 
DAC
3,719 3,929 
Total deferred income tax liabilities
8,024 6,987 
Net deferred income tax asset (liability)$2,862 $1,685 
__________________
(1)The Company has recorded a deferred tax asset of $247 million related to U.S. state and non-U.S. net operating loss carryforwards and an offsetting valuation allowance for the year ended December 31, 2024. Certain net operating loss carryforwards will expire between 2027 and 2042, whereas others have an unlimited carryforward period.
(2)Tax credit carryforwards for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily reflect foreign tax credits. Certain foreign tax credits will expire between 2035 and 2037, whereas others have no expiration date.
(3)The Company’s deferred tax asset for the year ended December 31, 2024 includes an offsetting valuation allowance primarily related to other non-U.S. jurisdictions.
The Company has not provided for U.S. deferred taxes on the remaining excess of book bases over tax bases of certain investments in non-U.S. subsidiaries that are essentially permanent in duration. The amount of deferred tax liability related to the Company’s remaining basis difference in these non-U.S. subsidiaries was $44 million at December 31, 2024.
The Company files income tax returns with the U.S. federal government and various U.S. state and local jurisdictions, as well as non-U.S. jurisdictions. The Company is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax authorities in jurisdictions in which the Company has significant business operations. The income tax years under examination vary by jurisdiction and subsidiary. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, or local income tax examinations for years prior to 2017. In material non-U.S. jurisdictions, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations for years prior to 2017.
In 2022, the IRS began a federal income tax audit of MetLife, Inc. and subsidiaries for tax years 2017-2019. The audit is ongoing and to date, no material issues have been raised and no adjustments have been proposed.
In 2022, the IRS reviewed and acknowledged acceptance of the 2014 through 2016 amended federal income tax returns filed in 2021 and closed the years to further audit. Accordingly, in 2022, the Company recorded a non-cash benefit to net
income of $70 million, net of income tax, comprised of a $67 million tax benefit recorded in provision for income tax expense (benefit) and a $4 million interest benefit ($3 million, net of income tax) included in other expenses.
The Company’s overall liability for unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease in the next 12 months. For example, U.S. federal tax legislation and regulation could impact unrecognized tax benefits. A reasonable estimate of the increase or decrease cannot be made at this time. However, the Company continues to believe that the ultimate resolution of the pending issues will not result in a material change to its consolidated financial statements, although the resolution of income tax matters could impact the Company’s effective tax rate for a particular future period.
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits was as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
202420232022
(In millions)
Balance at January 1,$131 $129 $163 
Additions for tax positions of prior years (1)
127 27 42 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years (2)
(43)(30)(93)
Additions for tax positions of current year4 5 22 
Reductions for tax positions of current year— — (3)
Settlements with tax authorities(1)— (2)
Balance at December 31,$218 $131 $129 
Unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective rate
$162 $90 $80 
__________________
(1)For the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily includes the addition of state reserves and International Financial Reporting Standard 17 related reserves in foreign jurisdictions.
(2)For the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily includes reductions related to non-cash benefits from a tax audit settlement.
The Company classifies interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense, included within other expenses.
Interest was as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
202420232022
(In millions)
Interest expense (benefit) recognized on the consolidated statements of operations
$7 $7 $— 
December 31,
20242023
(In millions)
Interest included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets$29 $22