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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”), which significantly changed U.S. tax law. The Act lowered the Company’s U.S. statutory federal income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, while also imposing a deemed repatriation tax on previously deferred foreign income. The Act also created a new minimum tax on certain future foreign earnings. The Company completed its accounting for the income tax effects of the Act during the first quarter of 2019, in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118.
Uncertain Tax Positions
As of December 29, 2018, the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits was $14.7 billion, of which $8.2 billion, if recognized, would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. The Company had accrued $1.2 billion of gross interest and penalties as of December 29, 2018. Both the unrecognized tax benefits and the associated interest and penalties that are not expected to result in payment or receipt of cash within one year are classified as other non-current liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
The Company is subject to taxation and files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in many state and foreign jurisdictions. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service concluded its review of the years 2013 through 2015 in 2018, and all years prior to 2016 are closed. Tax years subsequent to 2006 in certain major U.S. states and subsequent to 2010 in certain major foreign jurisdictions remain open, and could be subject to examination by the taxing authorities. The Company believes that an adequate provision has been made for any adjustments that may result from tax examinations. However, the outcome of tax audits cannot be predicted with certainty. If any issues addressed in the Company’s tax audits are resolved in a manner inconsistent with its expectations, the Company could be required to adjust its provision for income taxes in the period such resolution occurs. Although timing of resolution and/or closure of audits is not certain, the Company believes it is reasonably possible that its gross unrecognized tax benefits could decrease (either by payment, release or a combination of both) in the next 12 months by as much as $300 million.
European Commission State Aid Decision
On August 30, 2016, the European Commission announced its decision that Ireland granted state aid to the Company by providing tax opinions in 1991 and 2007 concerning the tax allocation of profits of the Irish branches of two subsidiaries of the Company (the “State Aid Decision”). The State Aid Decision ordered Ireland to calculate and recover additional taxes from the Company for the period June 2003 through December 2014. The recovery amount was calculated to be €13.1 billion, plus interest of €1.2 billion. Irish legislative changes, effective as of January 2015, eliminated the application of the tax opinions from that date forward. The Company believes the State Aid Decision to be without merit and appealed to the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Ireland has also appealed the State Aid Decision. The Company believes that any incremental Irish corporate income taxes potentially due related to the State Aid Decision would be creditable against U.S. taxes, subject to any foreign tax credit limitations in the Act. As of December 29, 2018, the entire recovery amount plus interest was funded into escrow, where it will remain restricted from general use pending conclusion of all appeals. Refer to Note 3, “Financial Instruments” for more information.