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INCOME TAXES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES INCOME TAXES
The Company's provision for income taxes represents federal, foreign, state and local income taxes. The Company’s tax provision changes quarterly based on various factors including, but not limited to, the geographical level and mix of earnings; enacted tax legislation; foreign, state and local income taxes; tax audit settlements; and the interaction of various global tax strategies.
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company concluded that the use of the cut-off tax rate method was more appropriate than the annual effective tax rate method, because the annual effective tax rate method would not be reliable due to its sensitivity to minimal changes in forecasted annual pre-tax earnings.
The Company recorded a benefit from income taxes of $9.9 million (Products Corporation - benefit from income taxes of $9.6 million) for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and a benefit from income taxes of $1.2 million (Products Corporation - benefit from income taxes of $0.9 million) for the three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively. The $8.7 million increase (Products Corporation - $8.7 million) in the benefit from income taxes in the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019, was primarily due to: (i) the increased loss from continuing operations before income taxes on which the tax benefit is recognized; (ii) the mix and level of earnings; and (iii) a reduction in the U.S. tax on the Company's foreign earnings, offset by an increase in tax expense related to uncertain tax positions and by the net change in valuation allowances recorded related to increased net losses in certain state jurisdictions.
The Company recorded a benefit from income taxes of $47.1 million (Products Corporation - benefit from income taxes of $46.5 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and a benefit from income taxes of $1.1 million (Products Corporation - benefit from income taxes of $0.6 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively. The $46.0 million increase (Products Corporation - $45.9 million) in the benefit from income taxes in the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2019, was primarily due to: (i) the increased loss from continuing operations before income taxes on which the tax benefit is recognized; (ii) the mix and level of earnings; and (iii) a reduction in the U.S. tax on the Company's foreign earnings, net of the impact of non-deductible impairment charges, partially offset by the net change in valuation allowances recorded related to the limitation on the deductibility of interest.
The Company's effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 was lower than the federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the impact of non-deductible impairment charges and the valuation allowance related to the limitation on the deductibility of interest, partially offset by the impact of the "Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act" (the "CARES Act"), signed into law on March 27, 2020 by President Trump, which resulted in a partial release of a valuation allowance on the Company's 2019 federal tax attributes associated with the limitation on the deductibility of interest.
The Company's effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 was lower than the federal statutory rate of 21%, primarily due to the valuation allowance related to the limitation on the deductibility of interest and the U.S. tax on the Company's foreign earnings.
The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions providing for refundable payroll tax credits, the deferral of employer social security tax payments, acceleration of alternative minimum tax credit refunds and the increase of the net interest deduction limitation from 30% to 50%. The Company continues to examine the impact that the CARES Act may have on its results of operations, financial condition and/or financial statement disclosures.
The Company expects that its tax provision and effective tax rate in any individual quarter and year-to-date period will vary and may not be indicative of the Company's tax provision and effective tax rate for the full year.

In assessing the recoverability of its deferred tax assets, the Company continually evaluates the available positive and negative evidence to assess the amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not to realize a benefit. For any deferred tax asset in excess of the amount for which it is more likely than not that the Company will realize a benefit, the Company establishes a valuation allowance. A valuation allowance is a non-cash charge, and it in no way limits the Company's ability to utilize its deferred tax assets, including its ability to utilize tax loss and credit carryforward amounts.

As of June 30, 2020, the Company concluded that, based on its evaluation of objectively verifiable evidence, it does not require a valuation allowance on its federal deferred tax assets, other than those associated with the limitation on the deductibility of interest. The Company does have a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets associated with its activity in certain U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. These conclusions regarding the establishment of valuation allowances on the Company's deferred tax assets as of the end of the second quarter of 2020 are consistent with the Company's conclusions on such matters as compared to prior quarters. The key assumptions used to determine positive and negative evidence included the Company’s cumulative taxable loss for the past three years, future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, the Company's cost reduction initiatives and other efficiency efforts, as well as certain assumptions regarding COVID-19's expected impact on the Company. Potential negative evidence, including, among other things, any further worsening of the economies in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates and any future reduced profitability in such jurisdictions could result in additional valuation allowances which would reduce the Company's future deferred tax assets. In such event, the Company's tax expense would likely materially increase in the period the valuation allowance is recognized and adversely impact the Company's results of operations and statement of financial condition in such period. The Company will continue to monitor the circumstances that would require it to establish an additional valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets. Accordingly, depending on future evidence that may become available, the Company's assessments regarding its valuation allowance position may change.
For further information, see Note 14, "Income Taxes," to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's 2019 Form 10-K and Item 1A. “Risk Factors-Uncertainties in the interpretation and application of the U.S. income tax provisions could have a material impact on the Company's financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows” in the Company's 2019 Form 10-K.