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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
In the first quarter of 2014, we recorded tax expense of $8 million on a loss before income taxes of $30 million. In the first quarter of 2013, we recorded tax expense of $19 million on income before income taxes of $50 million. Income tax expense in the first quarter of 2013 was favorably impacted by $12 million due primarily to an enacted tax law change.
We record taxes based on overall estimated annual effective tax rates. In addition to the discrete item related to the first quarter of 2013 noted above, the differences between our effective tax rate and the U.S. statutory rate in both years were primarily attributable to charges that are not deductible for tax purposes related to the devaluation of the bolivar fuerte in Venezuela and continuing to maintain a full valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets.
At January 1, 2014, our valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets was approximately $2,400 million. Each reporting period we assess available positive and negative evidence and estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to utilize the existing deferred tax assets. Through 2012 our history of U.S. operating losses limited the weight we could apply to other subjective evidence such as our projections for future profitability. Recent positive evidence includes our profitable 2013 U.S. results and full funding of our hourly U.S. pension plans in January 2014, which eliminates volatility in Other Comprehensive Income. This recent positive evidence provides us the opportunity to apply greater significance to our projections in assessing the need for a valuation allowance. We believe it is reasonably possible that sufficient positive evidence will exist during 2014 to release all or a significant portion of our valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets.
Our losses in various foreign taxing jurisdictions in recent periods represented sufficient negative evidence to require us to maintain a full valuation allowance against certain of our net deferred tax assets. However, it is reasonably possible that sufficient positive evidence required to release all, or a portion, of certain valuation allowances will exist during 2014. This may result in a reduction of the valuation allowance by up to $80 million.
At January 1, 2014, we had unrecognized tax benefits of $88 million that if recognized, would have a favorable impact on our tax expense of $78 million. We had accrued interest of $16 million as of January 1, 2014. If not favorably settled, $32 million of the unrecognized tax benefits and all of the accrued interest would require the use of our cash. It is reasonably possible that our total amount of unrecognized tax benefits may change during the next 12 months. However, we do not expect these changes to have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.
Generally, years from 2008 onward are still open to examination by foreign taxing authorities. We are open to examination in Germany from 2006 onward and in the United States for 2013.