XML 18 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT  v2.3.0.11
Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Income Taxes [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]
INCOME TAXES


  We are required to adjust our effective tax rate each quarter to consistently estimate our annual effective tax rate.  We must also record the tax impact of certain discrete items, unusual or infrequently occurring, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances and effects of changes in tax laws or rates, in the interim period in which they occur.  In addition, jurisdictions with a projected loss for the year or a year-to-date loss where no tax benefit can be recognized are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate.  The impact of such an exclusion could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a particular quarter, based upon the mix and timing of actual earnings versus annual projections.


Income tax expense (benefit) was a benefit of $0.2 million in the three months ended June 30, 2011 and expense of $1.9 million in the first six months of 2011 as compared to expense of $2.4 million in the three months ended June 30, 2010 and expense of $4.4 million in the first six months of 2010.  Our effective income tax rate was negative 0.5% in the second quarter of 2011 and 2.2% in the first six months of 2011 as compared to 8.4% in the second quarter of 2010 and 9.5% in the first six months of 2010.  Our income tax expense (benefit) and effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 reflects the effect of recognizing a net operating loss benefit against our taxable income in the U.S. Our income tax expense (benefit) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 also reflects net tax benefits of $2.8 million relating to the favorable resolution of income tax audits and the reversal of state deferred tax liabilities due to newly enacted Michigan tax legislation. Our income tax expense and effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 reflected the effect of recording a valuation allowance against income tax benefits on U.S. losses.


In the second quarter of 2011, we settled our 2004 through 2007 U.S. federal income tax audits. As a result of the settlement, in addition to a favorable tax benefit adjustment of $1.3 million included above, our gross unrecognized tax benefits were reduced by $28.7 million, our deferred tax assets were reduced by $22.3 million and our income tax payable increased by $5.1 million.