INCOME TAXES

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes consists of the following:



	Year ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in millions	2015			2014			2013
Domestic	$	(8.7	)	$	(66.4	)	$	134.0
Foreign	(80.0		)	(34.2		)	84.5
Total	$	(88.7	)	$	(100.6	)	$	218.5

The following presents the components of LP’s income tax provision (benefit) from continuing operations.



	Year ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in millions	2015			2014			2013
Current tax provision (benefit):
U.S. federal	$	(2.4	)	$	(5.0	)	$	1.3
State and local	(0.5		)	0.3			1.2
Foreign	2.6			1.6			3.3
Net current tax provision (benefit)	(0.3		)	(3.1		)	5.8
Deferred tax provision (benefit):
U.S. federal	(1.1		)	(19.5		)	44.6
State and local	(1.8		)	(1.2		)	2.5
Foreign	(26.6		)	(13.3		)	13.4
Net valuation allowance increase (decrease)	27.1			9.9			(25.2		)
Net deferred tax benefit	(2.4		)	(24.1		)	35.3
Total income tax provision (benefit)	$	(2.7	)	$	(27.2	)	$	41.1

LP received income tax refunds during 2015, 2014 and 2013 of $0.1 million, $1.6 million and $0.9 million and paid cash taxes of $16.0 million, $3.7 million and $6.8 million. Included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2015 and 2014 are income tax receivables of $2.0 million and $1.4 million.

The income tax effects of LP’s share of the income or loss of U.S. GreenFiber and LP OSB Limited Partnership in 2013 is recorded in “Provision (benefit) for income taxes” on the Consolidated Statements of Income, while LP’s share of such pre-tax income is recorded in “Equity in (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates”.

During November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, “Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes”, which simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes. This ASU requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as non-current in a statement of financial position. LP early adopted ASU 2015-17 effective December 31, 2015 on a prospective basis. Adoption of this ASU resulted in a reclassification of LP's net current deferred tax asset to the net non-current deferred tax asset in LP's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015. No prior periods were retrospectively adjusted.

The tax effects of significant temporary differences creating deferred tax (assets) and liabilities at December 31 were as follows:



	December 31,
Dollar amounts in millions	2015			2014
Property, plant and equipment	$	165.2		$	172.1
Timber and timberlands	12.0			17.8
Inventories	(7.7		)	(8.1		)
Accrued liabilities	(79.7		)	(84.9		)
Benefit of capital loss and NOL carryovers	(137.3		)	(134.0		)
Benefit of tax credit carryovers	(21.0		)	(17.8		)
Installment sale gain deferral	128.5			129.2
Market value write down of ARS	(8.8		)	(8.9		)
Other	(12.6		)	(3.9		)
Valuation allowance	56.1			32.3
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	94.7		$	93.8
Balance sheet classification
Current deferred tax asset	$	—		$	(45.1	)
Long-term deferred tax asset	(4.8		)	(0.6		)
Long-term deferred tax liability	99.5			139.5
	$	94.7		$	93.8

The benefit relating to capital loss, net operating loss (NOL) and credit carryovers included in the above table at December 31, 2015 consists of:



Dollar amounts in millions	Expiration Beginning in	Benefit Amount		Valuation Allowance
Federal NOL carryovers	2031	$	32.8	$	—
State NOL carryovers	2016	32.2		(13.1		)
State capital loss carryover	2016	0.6		(0.6		)
Federal credit carryovers	2027	18.1		—
State credit carryovers	2016	0.8		(0.6		)
Canadian NOL carryovers	2029	63.8		(24.6		)
Canadian capital loss carryovers	Indefinitely	6.9		(6.9		)
Canadian credit carryovers	2017	2.1		(2.1		)
Brazilian NOL carryovers	Indefinitely	1.0		(0.7		)
		$	158.3	$	(48.6	)

LP periodically reviews the need for valuation allowances against deferred tax assets and recognizes these deferred tax assets to the extent that their realization is more likely than not. As part of our review, we consider all positive and negative evidence, including earnings history, the future reversal of deferred tax liabilities, and the relevant expirations of carry forwards. LP believes that the valuation allowances provided are appropriate. If future years’ earnings differ from the estimates used to establish these valuation allowances or other objective positive or negative evidence arises, LP may be required to record an adjustment resulting in an impact on tax expense (benefit) for that period.

As a result of certain realization requirements of ASC 718 Compensation -- Stock Compensation, the table of deferred tax assets and liabilities shown above does not include $16.9 million and $13.9 million of deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 that arose directly from tax deductions related to amounts of equity compensation that are greater than the compensation recognized for financial reporting. Equity will be increased if and when such deferred tax assets are ultimately realized. LP uses the "with and without" method for determining when excess tax benefits have been realized.

U.S. taxes have not been provided on approximately $49.3 million of undistributed earnings of LP’s foreign subsidiaries, which under existing law are not subject to U.S. tax until distributed as dividends. These earnings have been, and are intended to be, indefinitely reinvested in LP’s foreign operations. Determination of the amount of any unrecognized income tax liability on this temporary difference is not practical because of the complexities of the hypothetical calculation. Furthermore, any taxes paid to the foreign governments on these earnings may be used, in whole or in part, as credits against the U.S. tax on any dividends distributed from such earnings.

The following table summarizes the differences between the statutory U.S. federal and effective income tax rates on continuing operations:



	Year ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
U.S. federal tax rate	(35	)%	(35	)%	35	%
State and local income taxes	(2	)	(2	)	2
Uncertain tax positions	(4	)	1		—
Effect of foreign tax rates	13		5		(3	)
Effect of foreign exchange on functional currencies	(8	)	(6	)	(3	)
Valuation allowance	31		10		(12	)
Other, net	2		—		—
Effective tax rate (%)	(3	)%	(27	)%	19	%

LP and its domestic subsidiaries are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income taxes of multiple state jurisdictions. Its foreign subsidiaries are subject to income tax in Canada, Chile, Peru and Brazil. In June 2015, LP finalized its settlement agreement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding its examination of tax years 2007-2009. U.S. tax years are now closed through 2011, and no examinations are currently in progress.

LP remains subject to U.S. federal examinations of tax years 2012 through 2014 as well as state and local tax examination for the tax years 2007-2014. Canadian federal income tax years are closed through 2010 and audits of 2012 and 2013 are currently in progress. Quebec provincial audits have been effectively settled through 2012. Chilean returns for the 2010 - 2012 tax years are under review by the Chilean Tax Office. Brazilian returns for years 2009 - 2014 are subject to audit but no examinations are currently in progress.

In accordance with the accounting for uncertain tax positions, the following is a tabular reconciliation of the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the years presented:



	December 31,
Dollar amounts in millions	2015			2014			2013
Beginning balance	$	42.2		$	48.9		$	49.9
Increases:
Tax positions taken in current year	—			0.1			—
Tax positions taken in prior years	0.9			1.3			0.4
Decreases:
Tax positions taken in current year	—			—			—
Tax positions taken in prior years	(0.5		)	(8.1		)	—
Settlements during the year	(34.7		)	—			—
Lapse of statute in current year	(3.8		)	—			(1.4		)
Ending balance	$	4.1		$	42.2		$	48.9

Included in the above balances at December 31, 2015 and 2014 is $3.7 million and $14.6 million of tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect LP’s effective tax rate. LP accrued interest of $0.2 million and paid interest of $4.8 million during 2015 and accrued interest of $1.0 million during 2014. In total LP has recognized a liability of $0.1 million and $4.7 million for accrued interest related to its uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. The $34.7 million settlement amount in the above table is the result of LP's 2015 agreement with the Internal Revenue Service regarding their examination of tax years 2007-2009.

While outcomes and timing cannot be predicted, it is possible that unrecognized tax benefits of up to $1.7 million could change as a result of the lapse of statutes of limitation during the next twelve months.