Income Taxes (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

For the three months ended September 30, 2011, our effective tax rate of 24.5% was positively impacted primarily by the ability to utilize capital losses to offset nearly all of the $132.2 capital gain realized from the Facebook transaction.  The capital gain enabled us to utilize capital loss carryforwards, on which a 100% valuation allowance had been previously established, and capital losses attributable to worthless securities in a consolidated subsidiary.

In addition to the positive factors noted above, the effective tax rate for the nine months endedSeptember 30, 2011 of 26.2% was positively impacted primarily by the recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits as a result of the settlement of the 2007-2008 IRS audit cycle, tax efficiencies from entity consolidation in the Asia Pacific region and the loss relating to the sale of a business in the domestic market. The effective tax rate was negatively impacted by state and local taxes, losses in certain foreign locations where we receive no tax benefit due to 100% valuation allowances and the net establishment of valuation allowances, primarily in Europe.

We have various tax years under examination by tax authorities in various countries, such as the United Kingdom, and in various states, such as New York, in which we have significant business operations. It is not yet known whether these examinations will, in the aggregate, result in our paying additional taxes. We believe our tax reserves are adequate in relation to the potential for additional assessments in each of the jurisdictions in which we are subject to taxation. We regularly assess the likelihood of additional tax assessments in those jurisdictions and, if necessary, adjust our reserves as additional information or events require.

With respect to all tax years open to examination by U.S. federal, various state and local, and non-U.S. tax authorities, we currently anticipate that total unrecognized tax benefits will decrease by an amount between $3.0 and $13.0 in the next twelve months, a portion of which will affect our effective tax rate, primarily as a result of the settlement of tax examinations and the lapsing of statutes of limitations. This net decrease is related to various items of income and expense, primarily transfer pricing adjustments.

We are effectively settled with respect to U.S. income tax audits for years prior to 2009. With limited exceptions, we are no longer subject to state and local income tax audits for years prior to 1999, or non-U.S. income tax audits for years prior to 2004.