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Income Taxes (Unaudited)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES INCOME TAXES
 Three Months Ended September 30Nine Months Ended September 30
$ in millions2024202320242023
Federal and foreign income tax expense$162 $181 $555 $512 
Effective income tax rate13.6 %16.2 %16.0 %16.5 %
Current Quarter
The company’s third quarter 2024 effective tax rate (ETR) decreased to 13.6 percent from 16.2 percent in the prior year period principally driven by a net reduction in tax reserves largely due to a recent federal court decision, partially offset by higher interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits. The third quarter 2024 ETR includes benefits of $191 million for research credits, partially offset by $64 million of interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits and $41 million in tax expense related to foreign-derived intangible income (FDII). The third quarter 2023 ETR included benefits of $62 million for research credits and $19 million for FDII, partially offset by $21 million of interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits.
Year to Date
The company’s year to date 2024 ETR decreased to 16.0 percent from 16.5 percent in the prior year period principally driven by a net reduction in tax reserves largely due to a recent federal court decision, partially offset by higher interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits. The year to date 2024 ETR includes benefits of $280 million for research credits, partially offset by $110 million of interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits and $11 million in tax expense related to FDII. The year to date 2023 ETR included benefits of $140 million for research credits and $48 million for FDII, partially offset by $48 million of interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits.
Taxes receivable, which are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position, were $402 million as of September 30, 2024 and $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2023.
The company has recorded unrecognized tax benefits related to our methods of accounting associated with the timing of revenue recognition and related costs and the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which includes related final revenue recognition regulations issued in December 2020 under IRC Section 451(b) and procedural guidance issued in August 2021. As of September 30, 2024, we have approximately $2.1 billion in unrecognized tax benefits, including $938 million related to our position on IRC Section 451(b). If these matters, including our position on IRC Section 451(b), are unfavorably resolved, there could be a material impact on our future cash flows. It is also reasonably possible that within the next 12 months our unrecognized tax benefits related to these matters may decrease by approximately $700 million, reflecting our best estimate of the most likely outcome of ongoing IRS negotiations.
Our current unrecognized tax benefits, which are included in Other current liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position, were $1.2 billion and $964 million as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, with the remainder of our unrecognized tax benefits included within Other non-current liabilities.
We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in various state and foreign jurisdictions. The Northrop Grumman 2018-2020 federal tax returns are currently under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examination. During the second quarter of 2023, the company entered into an agreed Revenue Agent’s Report (“RAR”) for certain matters related to the company’s 2014-2017 federal income tax returns, resulting in a $90 million reduction to our unrecognized tax benefits and an immaterial impact to income tax expense. The matters not addressed by the agreed RAR related to the company’s 2014-2017 federal income tax returns and refund claims related to its 2007-2016 federal tax returns are currently under review by the IRS Appeals Office.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has issued Pillar Two model rules for a new global minimum tax of 15% effective January 1, 2024. While it is uncertain whether the United States will enact legislation to adopt Pillar Two, certain countries in which we operate have adopted legislation, and other countries are in the process of introducing legislation to implement Pillar Two. Pillar Two had no impact on our third quarter or year to date 2024 effective tax rate, and we do not currently expect Pillar Two to significantly impact our effective tax rate going forward.