Income Taxes



	Three Months Ended September 30,		Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2016	2015	2016	2015
	(In percentages)
Effective income tax rate	5	33	15	22

The lower effective income tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 is primarily due to remeasurement of prior year tax positions due to audit closures and technical clarifications in certain jurisdictions of $52 million.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company's uncertain tax positions decreased $61 million, primarily due to audit closures in the US and in certain foreign jurisdictions.

The Company's US tax returns for the years 2009 through 2012 are currently under audit by the US Internal Revenue Service and certain of the Company's subsidiaries are under audit in jurisdictions outside of the US. In connection with the Company's US federal income tax audit for 2009 and 2010, the Company has received $192 million of proposed pre-tax adjustments related to various intercompany charges. In the event the Company is wholly unsuccessful in its defense, an actual tax assessment would result in the consumption of up to $67 million of prior foreign tax credit carryforwards. The Company believes these proposed adjustments to be without merit and is vigorously defending its position.