Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income taxes Our effective tax rate is affected by a number of factors, the most significant of which are the valuation allowance related to our deferred tax assets, changes to tax laws or other circumstances that impact the value of our deferred tax assets, and changes in our unrecognized tax benefits. Due to the effects of these factors, our effective tax rate in 2013 was not correlated to the amount of our income before income taxes. Our tax provisions for all periods presented in 2014 reflect a more normalized effective tax rate. Our tax provision for the six months ended June 30, 2013 consisted primarily of changes in our unrecognized tax benefits. We evaluate our deferred tax assets each period to determine if a valuation allowance is required based on whether it is "more likely than not" that some portion of the deferred tax assets would not be realized. The ultimate realization of these deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient taxable income during future periods. We conduct our evaluation by considering all available positive and negative evidence. This evaluation considers, among other factors, historical operating results, forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, and the outlooks for the U.S. housing industry and broader economy. Based on our evaluation through June 30, 2013, we fully reserved our net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of their realization. At September 30, 2013, we evaluated evidence related to the need for a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets and determined that the valuation allowance against substantially all of our federal deferred tax assets and a significant portion of our state deferred tax assets was no longer required. Accordingly, we reversed $2.1 billion of valuation allowance in the third quarter of 2013. The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon estimates of future results. Differences between estimated and actual results could result in changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets that could have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial position. Changes in existing tax laws could also affect actual tax results and the realization of deferred tax assets over time. Certain states enacted changes to tax laws that impacted the value of our deferred tax assets in the first half of 2014. The estimated impact of such changes was recorded to income tax expense during the period. Unrecognized tax benefits represent the difference between tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the benefits recognized for financial statement purposes. At June 30, 2014, we had $159.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits and $35.4 million of related accrued interest and penalties. It is reasonably possible within the next twelve months that our gross unrecognized tax benefits may decrease by up to $127.9 million, excluding interest and penalties, primarily due to expirations of certain statutes of limitations and potential settlements. We are currently under examination by the IRS and various state taxing jurisdictions and anticipate finalizing certain of the examinations within the next twelve months. The final outcome of these examinations is not yet determinable. The statute of limitations for our major tax jurisdictions remains open for examination for tax years 2004 to 2014.

Income taxes

Our effective tax rate is affected by a number of factors, the most significant of which are the valuation allowance related to our deferred tax assets, changes to tax laws or other circumstances that impact the value of our deferred tax assets, and changes in our unrecognized tax benefits. Due to the effects of these factors, our effective tax rate in 2013 was not correlated to the amount of our income before income taxes. Our tax provisions for all periods presented in 2014 reflect a more normalized effective tax rate. Our tax provision for the six months ended June 30, 2013 consisted primarily of changes in our unrecognized tax benefits.

We evaluate our deferred tax assets each period to determine if a valuation allowance is required based on whether it is "more likely than not" that some portion of the deferred tax assets would not be realized. The ultimate realization of these deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient taxable income during future periods. We conduct our evaluation by considering all available positive and negative evidence. This evaluation considers, among other factors, historical operating results, forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, and the outlooks for the U.S. housing industry and broader economy. Based on our evaluation through June 30, 2013, we fully reserved our net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of their realization. At September 30, 2013, we evaluated evidence related to the need for a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets and determined that the valuation allowance against substantially all of our federal deferred tax assets and a significant portion of our state deferred tax assets was no longer required. Accordingly, we reversed $2.1 billion of valuation allowance in the third quarter of 2013.

The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon estimates of future results. Differences between estimated and actual results could result in changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets that could have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial position. Changes in existing tax laws could also affect actual tax results and the realization of deferred tax assets over time. Certain states enacted changes to tax laws that impacted the value of our deferred tax assets in the first half of 2014. The estimated impact of such changes was recorded to income tax expense during the period.

Unrecognized tax benefits represent the difference between tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the benefits recognized for financial statement purposes. At June 30, 2014, we had $159.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits and $35.4 million of related accrued interest and penalties. It is reasonably possible within the next twelve months that our gross unrecognized tax benefits may decrease by up to $127.9 million, excluding interest and penalties, primarily due to expirations of certain statutes of limitations and potential settlements.

We are currently under examination by the IRS and various state taxing jurisdictions and anticipate finalizing certain of the examinations within the next twelve months. The final outcome of these examinations is not yet determinable. The statute of limitations for our major tax jurisdictions remains open for examination for tax years 2004 to 2014.