Federal Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Federal Income Taxes [Abstract]

Federal Income Taxes

7.  Federal Income Taxes

The effective tax rate is the ratio of tax expense over pre-tax income (loss).  The effective tax rate was 6% and 16% for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The effective tax rate on pre-tax income was lower than the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate of 21%.  Differences between the effective rates and the corporate federal income tax rate were primarily the result of the separate account dividends-received deduction, certain tax preferred investment income, foreign tax credits and other tax preference items.  The current quarter’s effective tax rate is lower than the comparable quarter in the prior year primarily as a result of an increased level of realized losses and the associated tax benefit resulting from the application of the corporate federal income tax rate of 21%.