INCOME TAX EXPENSE

The Company and its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various state and foreign jurisdictions, as applicable. Income before income taxes included income from domestic operations of $2,910, $2,222 and $2,644 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, and income (losses) from foreign operations of $(14), $(102) and $(84) for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Income Tax Expense


	For the years ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Income tax expense (benefit)
Current - U.S. federal	$	486	$	410	$	8
Foreign	2		—		—
Total current	488		410		8
Deferred - U.S. federal	49		(20)		476
Foreign	(6)		(7)		(9)
Total deferred	43		(27)		467
Total income tax expense	$	531	$	383	$	475

Income Tax Rate Reconciliation


	For the years ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Tax provision at U.S. federal statutory rate	$	608	$	445	$	538
Tax-exempt interest	(40)		(46)		(56)
Increase in deferred tax valuation allowance	9		9		2
Sale of business	(5)		(8)		—
Earnings on corporate owned life insurance	(22)		(6)		(11)
Tax credits	(9)		(5)		—
Carryback benefit	—		(5)		—
Tax law change	(8)		(6)		—
Other	(2)		5		2
Provision for income taxes	$	531	$	383	$	475

DEFERRED TAXES

Deferred tax assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets represent the tax consequences of differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities.

The Company predominantly pays non-income state taxes as a percentage of premiums written which are accounted for as policy acquisition costs. State income taxes were $4, $3 and $5 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and are included in other expenses. The Hartford has not recorded state deferred taxes, including net deferred tax assets from state operating loss carryforwards, because the Company does not expect to earn state taxable income to utilize such state tax benefits.

Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities)


	As of December 31,
	2021		2020
Deferred tax assets
Loss reserves and tax discount	$	386	$	312


Unearned premium reserve and other underwriting related reserves	406		384
Investment-related items	8		125

Employee benefits	225		282


Net operating loss carryover	29		11


Other	—		34
Total deferred tax assets	1,054		1,148
Valuation allowance	(7)		(4)
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance	1,047		1,144
Deferred tax liabilities
Deferred acquisition costs	(129)		(120)
Net unrealized gains on investments	(428)		(758)
Other depreciable and amortizable assets	(216)		(220)
Other	(4)		—
Total deferred tax liabilities	(777)		(1,098)
Net deferred tax asset	$	270	$	46

As of December 31, 2021, the Company has foreign net operating losses of $29 for which a valuation allowance of $7 has been established. While the foreign net operating losses ("NOLs") do not expire, this assessment reflects uncertainty in the Company's ability to generate sufficient taxable income in the near term in those specific jurisdictions.

Management has assessed the need for a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets based on tax character and jurisdiction. In making the assessment, management considered future taxable temporary difference reversals, future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryovers, taxable income in open carry back years and other tax planning strategies which management views as prudent and feasible.

UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS

Rollforward of Unrecognized Tax Benefits


	For the years ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Balance, beginning of period	$	15	$	14	$	14



Gross increases - tax positions in current period	6		1		—

Lapse of statute of limitations	(5)		—		—
Balance, end of period	$	16	$	15	$	14

The entire amount of unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate in the period of the release. The Company recognized $5 of its previously unrecognized tax benefits associated with dividends from segregated asset accounts of the life and annuity business sold in 2018. This liability was subject to a tax indemnification agreement and a corresponding receivable included in other assets has been taken down upon lapse of the statute of limitations.

OTHER TAX MATTERS

On June 10, 2021, the United Kingdom enacted Finance Bill 2021, which included an increase in the corporate tax rate from 19% to 25%, effective April 1, 2023. In 2021, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $8, which reflects the estimated benefit of the change in tax rate on the deferred tax assets and liabilities of its U.K. subsidiaries.

On March 27, 2020, as part of the business stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act. The CARES Act established new tax provisions including, but not limited to: (1) five-year carryback of net operating losses generated in 2018, 2019 and 2020; (2) accelerated refund of alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards; and (3) retroactive changes to allow accelerated depreciation for certain depreciable property.

For the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company recorded a tax benefit of $11 related to the expected carryback of losses from the Navigators Group 2019 pre-acquisition tax returns to recover taxes paid in prior years at the previous statutory tax rate of 35%, of which $6 was by virtue of the non-insurance carryback provision of the CARES Act.

For the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 the Company recorded a tax benefit of $5 and $8 related to the excess of tax basis over GAAP basis on the sale of the continental Europe operations. Refer to Note 22 - Business Dispositions.

The federal income tax audits for the Company have been completed through 2013, and the Company is not currently under federal income tax examination for any open years. The statute of limitations is closed through the 2017 tax year with the exception of NOL carryforwards utilized in open tax years. Management believes that adequate provision has been made in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements for any potential adjustments that may result from tax examinations and other tax-related matters for all open tax years.

The Company classifies interest and penalties (if applicable) as income tax expense in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company recognized net interest income of $1, $1 and $1 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. The Company has no interest payable as of December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. The Company does not believe it would be subject to any penalties in any open tax years and, therefore, has not recorded any accrual for penalties.