Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Income Taxes:

The income tax rate of 26.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased 2.9 percentage points from the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase was due primarily to the following:


▪	tax benefits of $22 million in 2018 related to prior audit years;


•	tax benefits of $20 million in 2018 related to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; and


•	tax expense of $11 million in 2019 for a valuation allowance on foreign tax credit carryforwards that are not realizable;

partially offset by:


▪	tax benefits of $11 million related to the effective settlement in March 2019 of the IRS audit of Altria and its consolidated subsidiaries’ 2014-2015 tax years.

Altria is subject to income taxation in many jurisdictions. Unrecognized tax benefits reflect the difference between tax positions taken or expected to be taken on income tax returns and the amounts recognized in the financial statements. Resolution of the related tax positions with the relevant tax authorities may take many years to complete, and such timing is not entirely within the control of Altria. At March 31, 2019, Altria’s total unrecognized tax benefits were $55 million. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate at March 31, 2019 was $45 million, along with $10 million affecting deferred taxes. It is reasonably possible that within the next 12 months certain examinations will be resolved, which could result in a decrease in unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $14 million. At December 31, 2018, Altria’s total unrecognized tax benefits were $85 million. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate at December 31, 2018 was $59 million, along with $26 million affecting deferred taxes.