PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES



	2015			2014			2013
Current tax expense on continuing operations:
U.S. federal	$	218		$	656		$	32
U.S. state and local	7			38			(7		)
International	466			449			598
Total current tax expense on continuing operations	691			1,143			623
Deferred tax expense (benefit) on continuing operations:
U.S. federal	139			91			(205		)
U.S. state and local	4			(42		)	(65		)
International	(138		)	(24		)	7
Total deferred tax expense (benefit) on continuing operations	5			25			(263		)
Provision for income taxes on continuing operations	$	696		$	1,168		$	360

The significant components of deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014, are as follows:



	2015					2014
	Asset			Liability		Asset			Liability
Depreciation	$	—		$	953	$	—		$	1,003
Accrued employee benefits	4,812			374		5,376			746
Other accrued expenses	563			—		555			—
Inventories	125			99		151			137
Unrealized exchange gains/losses	—			224		—			173
Tax loss/tax credit carryforwards/backs	2,124			—		2,409			—
Investment in subsidiaries and affiliates	133			154		151			195
Amortization of intangibles	187			1,331		154			1,353
Other	215			77		258			110
Valuation allowance	(1,529		)	—		(1,704		)	—
	$	6,630		$	3,212	$	7,350		$	3,717
Net deferred tax asset	$	3,418				$	3,633

An analysis of the company's effective income tax rate (EITR) on continuing operations is as follows:



	2015		2014		2013
Statutory U.S. federal income tax rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
Exchange gains/losses¹	8.0		8.1		1.0
Domestic operations	(2.8	)	(2.8	)	(4.1	)
Lower effective tax rates on international operations-net²	(11.1	)	(11.4	)	(14.7	)
Tax settlements	(0.7	)	(0.6	)	(0.3	)
Sale of a business	(0.2	)	(0.4	)	—
U.S. research & development credit ²	(1.3	)	(0.8	)	(2.9	)
	26.9	%	27.1	%	14.0	%


^1.	Principally reflects the impact of foreign exchange losses on net monetary assets for which no corresponding tax benefit is realized. Further information about the company's foreign currency hedging program is included in Note 5 and Note 20 under the heading Foreign Currency Risk.


^2.	On January 2, 2013, U.S. tax law was enacted which extended through 2013 (and retroactive to 2012) several expired or expiring temporary business tax provisions. In accordance with GAAP, this extension was taken into account in the quarter in which the legislation was enacted (i.e. first quarter 2013).

Consolidated income from continuing operations before income taxes for U.S. and international operations was as follows:



	2015		2014		2013
U.S. (including exports)	$	1,397	$	2,537	$	504
International	1,194		1,776		2,062
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	2,591	$	4,313	$	2,566

The decrease in pre-tax earnings from continuing operations from 2014 to 2015 is primarily driven by lower worldwide sales volume, the absence of 2014 gains on sales of businesses primarily in the U.S., higher employee separation/asset related charges, as well as the results of the company’s hedging program.

In 2015 and 2014, the U.S. recorded a net exchange gain associated with the hedging program of $434 and $607, respectively. While the taxation of the amounts reflected on the chart above does not correspond precisely to the jurisdiction of taxation (due to taxation in multiple countries, exchange gains/losses, etc.), it represents a reasonable approximation of the income before income taxes split between U.S. and international jurisdictions. See Note 20 for additional information regarding the company's hedging program.

Under the tax laws of various jurisdictions in which the company operates, deductions or credits that cannot be fully utilized for tax purposes during the current year may be carried forward or back, subject to statutory limitations, to reduce taxable income or taxes payable in future or prior years. At December 31, 2015, the tax effect of such carryforwards/backs, net of valuation allowance approximated $946. Of this amount, $785 has no expiration date, $7 expires after 2015 but before the end of 2020 and $154 expires after 2020.

At December 31, 2015, unremitted earnings of subsidiaries outside the U.S. totaling $16,053 were deemed to be indefinitely reinvested. No deferred tax liability has been recognized with regard to the remittance of such earnings. It is not practicable to estimate the income tax liability that might be incurred if such earnings were remitted to the U.S.

Each year the company files hundreds of tax returns in the various national, state and local income taxing jurisdictions in which it operates. These tax returns are subject to examination and possible challenge by the tax authorities. Positions challenged by the tax authorities may be settled or appealed by the company. As a result, there is an uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the company's financial statements in accordance with accounting for income taxes and accounting for uncertainty in income taxes. It is reasonably possible that net reductions to the company’s global unrecognized tax benefits could be in the range of $225 to $250 within the next 12 months with the majority due to the settlement of uncertain tax positions with various tax authorities.

The company and/or its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various states and non-U.S. jurisdictions. With few exceptions, the company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2004. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:



	2015			2014			2013
Total unrecognized tax benefits as of January 1	$	986		$	901		$	805
Gross amounts of decreases in unrecognized tax benefits as a result of tax positions taken during the prior period	(98		)	(50		)	(28		)
Gross amounts of increases in unrecognized tax benefits as a result of tax positions taken during the prior period	13			84			76
Gross amounts of increases in unrecognized tax benefits as a result of tax positions taken during the current period	69			92			92
Amount of decreases in the unrecognized tax benefits relating to settlements with taxing authorities	(58		)	(15		)	(19		)
Reduction to unrecognized tax benefits as a result of a lapse of the applicable statute of limitations	(30		)	(3		)	(6		)
Exchange gain	(36		)	(23		)	(19		)
Total unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31	$	846		$	986		$	901
Total unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate	$	651		$	818		$	778
Total amount of interest and penalties recognized in the Consolidated Income Statements	$	5		$	5		$	16
Total amount of interest and penalties recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets	$	100		$	117		$	122