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Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure TAXES
The sources of the Company’s earnings before taxes were as follows for the years ended December 31:
202120202019
United States$109,918 $94,651 $102,262 
Non-United States839,443 654,092 579,132 
Earnings before taxes$949,361 $748,743 $681,394 

The provision for taxes consists of:
CurrentDeferredTotal
Year ended December 31, 2021:
United States federal$7,750 $(7,415)$335 
United States state and local3,670 (1,099)2,571 
Non-United States168,393 9,077 177,470 
Total$179,813 $563 $180,376 
Year ended December 31, 2020:   
United States federal$6,242 $(6,311)$(69)
United States state and local5,563 (1,736)3,827 
Non-United States146,983 (4,737)142,246 
Total$158,788 $(12,784)$146,004 
Year ended December 31, 2019:   
United States federal$3,033 $(2,622)$411 
United States state and local(996)(1,950)(2,946)
Non-United States122,878 (58)122,820 
Total$124,915 $(4,630)$120,285 
The provision for tax expense differed from the amounts computed by applying the United States federal income tax rate of 21% for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019 to earnings before taxes as a result of the following:
202120202019
Expected tax$199,365 $157,236 $143,092 
United States state and local income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit1,235 3,320 499 
Net effect of Swiss tax reform implementation (see below)— — (15,833)
Non-United States income taxes at other than U.S. federal rate3,439 179 18,546 
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises(22,843)(17,261)(28,279)
Other, net(820)2,530 2,260 
Total provision for taxes$180,376 $146,004 $120,285 

The Company’s reported effective tax rate was 19.0% in 2021, 19.5% in 2020, and 17.7% in 2019.
As discussed below, the provision for income taxes included a net benefit of $15.8 million in 2019 related to Swiss tax reform, which had the effect of reducing the Company’s effective tax rate by 2.3% in 2019.
In May 2019, a public referendum was held in Switzerland that approved Swiss federal tax reform proposals previously approved by the Swiss Parliament. Additional changes in Swiss cantonal law were enacted in October 2019 (collectively Swiss Tax Reform). The changes in Swiss federal tax had an immaterial effect on our financial statements. As a result of the enactment of the cantonal law, the Company recognized a deferred tax asset of $48.1 million less a valuation allowance of $31.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. The amount primarily related to deferred benefits associated with an allowed step-up of intangible assets for tax purposes. The rate impact of Swiss Tax Reform was effective January 1, 2020 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated effective tax rate.
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are presented below at December 31:
20212020
Deferred tax assets:  
Inventory$24,007 $18,849 
Lease liability, accrued and other liabilities103,900 94,113 
Accrued post-retirement benefit and pension costs49,774 56,618 
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards26,808 27,717 
Swiss tax reform intangible assets51,194 53,080 
Other1,006 12,408 
Total deferred tax assets256,689 262,785 
Less valuation allowance(51,126)(52,388)
Total deferred tax assets less valuation allowance205,563 210,397 
Deferred tax liabilities:  
Inventory6,905 6,029 
Lease right-of-use assets and other assets31,164 29,553 
Property, plant, and equipment68,701 60,047 
Acquired intangibles amortization61,289 62,584 
Prepaid post-retirement benefit and pension costs41,524 28,270 
International earnings15,001 16,526 
Unrealized currency gains3,713 — 
Total deferred tax liabilities228,297 203,009 
Net deferred tax (liability) asset$(22,734)$7,388 

The Company continues to record valuation allowances related to certain of its deferred income tax assets due to the uncertainty of the ultimate realization of future benefits from such assets. The potential decrease or increase of the valuation allowance in the near term is dependent on the future ability of the Company to realize the deferred tax assets that are affected by the future profitability of operations in the respective/relevant jurisdictions.
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
20212020
Unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of year$38,294 $29,934 
Increases related to current tax positions12,200 9,503 
Decreases related to prior year tax positions(2,905)(2,900)
Impact of foreign currency(1,157)1,757 
Unrecognized tax benefits at end of year$46,432 $38,294 

Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $46.4 million and $38.3 million, respectively, of tax benefits that if recognized would reduce the Company’s effective tax rate. Increases and decreases related to current and prior year tax positions during 2021 and 2020 primarily related to non-United States income taxes. The Company recognizes accrued amounts of interest and penalties related to its uncertain tax positions as part of its income tax expense within its consolidated statement of operations. The amount of accrued interest and penalties included
within other non-current liabilities within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $7.7 million and $6.2 million, respectively.
The Company believes that it is reasonably possible that the unrecognized tax benefit balance could change over the next 12 months, primarily related to potential disputes raised by the taxing authorities over income and expense recognition. The Company does not expect a change would have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
The Company plans to repatriate earnings from China, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and certain other countries in future years and believes that there will be no additional tax costs associated with the repatriation of such foreign earnings other than non-U.S. withholding taxes, certain state taxes, and U.S. taxes on currency gains, if any, for which a deferred tax liability has been recognized. All other undistributed earnings and any additional outside basis difference inherent in these entities and the contributed capital of our foreign subsidiaries are considered to be permanently reinvested on which no U.S. deferred income taxes or foreign withholding taxes have been provided. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability related to these undistributed earnings and additional outside basis differences in these entities due to the complexity of the calculation and the uncertainty regarding assumptions necessary to compute the tax.
As of December 31, 2021, the major jurisdictions for which the Company is subject to examinations are: Germany for years after 2015; the United States after 2017; France after 2019; Switzerland after 2019; the United Kingdom after 2018; and China after 2018. Additionally, the Company is currently under examination in various taxing jurisdictions in which it conducts business operations. While the Company has not yet received any material assessments from these taxing authorities, the Company believes that adequate amounts of taxes and related interest and penalties have been provided for any adverse adjustments as a result of these examinations and that the ultimate outcome of these examinations will not result in a material impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial position.