Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Taxes	7. Income Taxes The results of operations of Credco are included in the consolidated U.S. federal income tax return of American Express. Under an agreement with American Express, provision for income taxes is recognized on a separate company basis. If benefits for net operating losses, future tax deductions and foreign tax credits cannot be recognized on a separate company basis, such benefits are then recognized based upon a share, derived by formula, of those deductions and credits that are recognizable on an American Express consolidated reporting basis. The effective tax rate was 13.8 percent and 5.4 percent for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively and 13.7 percent and (8.0) percent for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2018 includes a $24 million discrete tax benefit related to the Tax Act that reduced the reported effective tax rate by 11.9 percent. The tax rate in each of the periods reflects the geographic mix of expenses in the United States that generates a tax benefit at the U.S. statutory rate and foreign earnings taxed at lower rates, and the favorable impact of the tax benefit related to Credco’s ongoing funding activities outside the United States. Credco’s provision for income taxes for interim financial periods is not based on an estimated annual effective rate due to volatility in certain components of revenues and expenses that prevents Credco from projecting a reliable estimate of full year pretax income. A discrete calculation of the provision for income taxes is recorded for each interim period. Credco is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tax authorities in other countries and states in which it has significant business operations. The tax years under examination and open for examination vary by jurisdiction. In 2018, Credco settled its U.S. federal income tax audits for tax years 2008-2014, and the statute of limitations for these years remain open through 2019. Tax years from 2015 onwards are open for examination by the IRS. Credco believes it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by an immaterial amount within the next 12 months, principally as a result of potential resolutions of prior years’ tax items with various taxing authorities. The prior years’ tax items include unrecognized tax benefits relating to the attribution of taxable income to a particular jurisdiction or jurisdictions. The resolution of such items would not have a material impact on Credco’s effective tax rate.

7. Income Taxes

The results of operations of Credco are included in the consolidated U.S. federal income tax return of American Express. Under an agreement with American Express, provision for income taxes is recognized on a separate company basis. If benefits for net operating losses, future tax deductions and foreign tax credits cannot be recognized on a separate company basis, such benefits are then recognized based upon a share, derived by formula, of those deductions and credits that are recognizable on an American Express consolidated reporting basis.

The effective tax rate was 13.8 percent and 5.4 percent for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively and 13.7 percent and (8.0) percent for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2018 includes a $24 million discrete tax benefit related to the Tax Act that reduced the reported effective tax rate by 11.9 percent.

The tax rate in each of the periods reflects the geographic mix of expenses in the United States that generates a tax benefit at the U.S. statutory rate and foreign earnings taxed at lower rates, and the favorable impact of the tax benefit related to Credco’s ongoing funding activities outside the United States. Credco’s provision for income taxes for interim financial periods is not based on an estimated annual effective rate due to volatility in certain components of revenues and expenses that prevents Credco from projecting a reliable estimate of full year pretax income. A discrete calculation of the provision for income taxes is recorded for each interim period.

Credco is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tax authorities in other countries and states in which it has significant business operations. The tax years under examination and open for examination vary by jurisdiction. In 2018, Credco settled its U.S. federal income tax audits for tax years 2008-2014, and the statute of limitations for these years remain open through 2019. Tax years from 2015 onwards are open for examination by the IRS.

Credco believes it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by an immaterial amount within the next 12 months, principally as a result of potential resolutions of prior years’ tax items with various taxing authorities. The prior years’ tax items include unrecognized tax benefits relating to the attribution of taxable income to a particular jurisdiction or jurisdictions. The resolution of such items would not have a material impact on Credco’s effective tax rate.