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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes

AB Holding is a “grandfathered” publicly-traded partnership (“PTP”) for federal tax purposes and, accordingly, is not subject to federal or state corporate income taxes. However, AB Holding is subject to the 4.0% New York City unincorporated business tax (“UBT”), net of credits for UBT paid by AB, and to a 3.5% federal tax on partnership gross income from the active conduct of a trade or business. AB Holding’s partnership gross income is derived from its interest in AB.

AB Holding’s federal income tax is computed by multiplying certain AB qualifying revenues (primarily U.S. investment advisory fees and brokerage commissions) by AB Holding’s ownership interest in AB, multiplied by the 3.5% tax rate. AB Holding Units in AB’s consolidated rabbi trust are not considered outstanding for purposes of calculating AB Holding’s ownership interest in AB.

 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
 
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
% Change
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
Net income attributable to AB Unitholders
 
$
184,196

 
$
139,937

 
31.6
%
Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest
 
35.7
%
 
35.5
%
 
 
Equity in net income attributable to AB Unitholders
 
$
65,698

 
$
49,666

 
32.3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AB qualifying revenues
 
$
702,919

 
$
546,177

 
28.7

Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest for calculating tax
 
30.1
%
 
29.6
%
 
 
Multiplied by: federal tax
 
3.5
%
 
3.5
%
 
 
Federal income taxes
 
7,410

 
5,651

 
 
State income taxes
 
128

 
105

 
 
Total income taxes
 
$
7,538

 
$
5,756

 
31.0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Effective tax rate
 
11.5
%
 
11.6
%
 
 


In order to preserve AB Holding’s status as a “grandfathered” PTP for federal income tax purposes, management ensures that AB Holding does not directly or indirectly (through AB) enter into a substantial new line of business. If AB Holding were to lose its status as a “grandfathered” PTP, it would be subject to corporate income tax, which would reduce materially AB Holding’s net income and its quarterly distributions to AB Holding Unitholders.