Income Taxes (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

Provision

The provision for income taxes from continuing operations is comprised of the following (in thousands):

	For the years ended December 31,
	2012		2011		2010
Current provision	$	21,459	$	48,384	$	(3,908	)
Deferred provision	95,742		62,909		22,952
Total income tax provision from continuing operations	$	117,201	$	111,293	$	19,044

Tax benefits related to the exercise of stock options and stock awards have been credited (debited) to paid-in capital in amounts of $2.5 million, $5.0 million and $(1.2) million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Effective Income Tax Rate

The difference between the Company’s reported income tax expense from continuing operations and the federal income tax expense from continuing operations computed at the statutory rate of 35.0% is explained in the following table (in thousands):

	For the years ended December 31,
	2012					2011					2010
Federal income tax at the statutory rate	$	109,226		35.0	%	$	95,489		35.0	%	$	11,728		35.0	%
State, local and foreign income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	10,508			3.4		9,415			3.5		4,133			12.3
Reduction for tax positions settled, net of federal income tax benefit	80			—		(1,676		)	(0.6	)	(12,324		)	(36.8	)
Settlements	—			—		7,000			2.6		13,746			41.0
Other, net (including tax accrual adjustments)	(2,613		)	(0.8	)	1,065			0.3		1,761			5.3
Total income tax provision from continuing operations	$	117,201		37.6	%	$	111,293		40.8	%	$	19,044		56.8	%

Income tax payments, net, amounted to$44.1 million, $6.4 million and$23.6 million the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes.

Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2012			2011
Accounts receivable reserves	$	91,773		$	120,983
Net operating loss (“NOL”) and capital loss carryforwards	81,530			82,035
Accrued liabilities	78,331			88,073
Other	47,421			28,414
Gross deferred tax assets, before valuation allowances	299,055			319,505
Valuation allowances	(21,037		)	(20,502		)
Gross deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances	$	278,018		$	299,003
Amortization of intangibles	$	606,933		$	568,849
Contingent convertible debentures interest	353,397			322,035
Fixed assets and depreciation methods	55,135			48,034
Subsidiary stock basis	12,271			12,203
Current and noncurrent assets	10,702			15,149
Other	18,054			18,146
Gross deferred tax liabilities	$	1,056,492		$	984,416

As of December 31, 2012, the Company has remaining deferred tax benefits related to its federal and state net operating losses and capital losses totaling approximately $82 million ($29 million federal, $50 million state and $3 million capital).  These NOLs and capital losses will expire, in varying amounts, beginning in 2013 through 2032.  The potential future tax benefits of the NOLs and capital losses have been offset by $21 million of valuation allowance based on the Company’s analysis of the likelihood of generating sufficient taxable income in the various jurisdictions to utilize the benefits before expiration.

Uncertain Tax Positions

At January 1, 2012, the Company had gross unrecognized tax benefits of $17.1 million and ended the year with gross unrecognized tax benefits of $14.2 million.  A reconciliation of the beginning and ending of year amount of unrecognized tax benefit is as follows (in thousands):

	2012			2011			2010
Unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of year	$	17,091		$	18,034		$	27,700
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	1,845			1,219			1,532
Additions for tax positions of prior years	2,050			5,212			3,100
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(3,051		)	(492		)	(1,634		)
Settlement reductions	(3,410		)	(5,330		)	—
Reductions for tax positions settled through the expirations of the statute of limitations	(309		)	(1,552		)	(12,664		)
Unrecognized tax benefits at end of year	$	14,216		$	17,091		$	18,034

Included in the balance at December 31, 2012 are approximately $8.7 million of unrecognized tax benefits, net of federal tax benefit, that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.  The liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits are carried in “Other noncurrent liabilities” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets because payment of cash is not anticipated within one year of the balance sheet date for any significant unrecognized amounts.  However, it is reasonably possible that $4.6 million, net of federal tax benefit, of unrecognized federal and state tax benefits will reverse within one year of the balance sheet date due to the expiration of statutes of limitation and settlement of the 2009 and 2010 IRS audit.  The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in tax expenses.  During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recognized approximately $(0.1) million in interest, net of federal tax benefit, and penalties.  The Company had accrued approximately $2.9 million for the payment of interest and penalties accrued at December 31, 2012.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various states.  With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal examinations by tax authorities for years before 2009, and state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations, by tax authorities for years before 2008. The Internal Revenue Service is currently examining the 2009 and 2010 income tax returns. The Company is also currently under examination by various state jurisdictions.