Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]

difference in book basis and tax basis of net assets not subject to income taxes [Table Text Block]

The difference between the book basis and the tax basis of our net assets, not directly subject to income taxes, is as follows:

	Icahn Enterprises						Icahn Enterprises Holdings
	December 31,						December 31,
	2015			2014			2015			2014
	(in millions)						(in millions)
Book basis of net assets	$	3,987		$	5,443		$	4,011		$	5,446
Book/tax basis difference	(88		)	(1,566		)	(88		)	(1,545		)
Tax basis of net assets	$	3,899		$	3,877		$	3,923		$	3,901

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

Our corporate subsidiaries recorded the following income tax benefit (expense) attributable to continuing operations for our taxable subsidiaries:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	(in millions)
Current:
Domestic	$	(17	)	$	(45	)	$	22
International	(55		)	(35		)	(61		)
Total current	(72		)	(80		)	(39		)
Deferred:
Domestic	(15		)	201			146
International	19			(18		)	11
Total deferred	4			183			157
	$	(68	)	$	103		$	118

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The tax effect of significant differences representing deferred tax assets (liabilities) (the difference between financial statement carrying value and the tax basis of assets and liabilities) is as follows:

	December 31,
	2015			2014
	(in millions)
Deferred tax assets:
Property, plant and equipment	$	341		$	144
Net operating loss	1,511			1,348
Tax credits	133			149
Post-employment benefits, including pensions	347			388
Reorganization costs	5			11
Other	418			231
Total deferred tax assets	2,755			2,271
Less: Valuation allowance	(1,444		)	(1,059		)
Net deferred tax assets	$	1,311		$	1,212
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property, plant and equipment	$	(354	)	$	(239	)
Intangible assets	(163		)	(177		)
Investment in partnerships	(1,376		)	(1,349		)
Investment in U.S. subsidiaries	(307		)	(307		)
Other	(13		)	(6		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(2,213		)	(2,078		)
	$	(902	)	$	(866	)

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of the effective tax rate on continuing operations as shown in the consolidated statements of operations to the federal statutory rate is as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
Federal statutory rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
Foreign operations	1.4		6.7		1.3
Valuation allowance	(5.5	)	21.5		(15.4	)
Non-controlling interest	2.0		7.5		(2.3	)
Goodwill	(9.5	)	(5.7	)	0.2
Gain on settlement of liabilities subject to compromise	0.2		4.9		—
Income not subject to taxation	(25.4	)	(47.2	)	(25.4	)
Other	(1.5	)	(6.4	)	1.5
	(3.3	)%	16.3	%	(5.1	)%

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Amounts Pertaining to Examined Tax Returns Roll Forward [Table Text Block]

A summary of the changes in the gross amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	113		$	132		$	113
Addition based on tax positions related to the current year	19			18			23
Increase for tax positions of prior years	6			10			6
Decrease for tax positions of prior years	(10		)	(14		)	(9		)
Decrease for statute of limitation expiration	(21		)	(3		)	(1		)
Settlements	(8		)	(25		)	1
Impact of currency translation and other	(5		)	(5		)	(1		)
Balance at December 31	$	94		$	113		$	132