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Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the consolidated financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse.
Income before income taxes from continuing operations consisted of the following: 
 Year ended December 31,
 202320222021
Domestic$1,100,420 $926,604 $1,463,029 
International76,674 39,674 55,465 
 $1,177,094 $966,278 $1,518,494 
 Income tax expense for continuing operations consisted of the following:
 Year ended December 31,
 202320222021
Current:   
Federal$200,070 $201,932 $216,539 
State38,370 55,593 15,601 
International21,008 16,253 14,247 
Total current income tax259,448 273,778 246,387 
Deferred:   
Federal(40,234)(66,400)59,528 
State367 (12,289)5,342 
International535 2,998 (4,525)
Total deferred income tax(39,332)(75,691)60,345 
 $220,116 $198,087 $306,732 
The reconciliation between the Company’s effective tax rate from continuing operations and the U.S. federal income tax rate is as follows:
 Year ended December 31,
 202320222021
Federal income tax rate21.0 %21.0 %21.0 %
State income taxes, net of federal benefit2.6 3.8 3.0 
Equity compensation(1.1)(1.6)(2.4)
Federal and international tax rate adjustments— — 1.3 
Nondeductible executive compensation1.2 1.1 0.8 
Political advocacy costs0.2 2.2 0.2 
Unrecognized tax benefits(1.1)(1.1)(0.1)
Change in international valuation allowance0.8 1.2 (1.0)
Credits(1.2)(1.2)(0.7)
Other1.9 1.1 1.7 
Impact of noncontrolling interests primarily
 attributable to non-tax paying entities		(5.6)(6.0)(3.6)
Effective tax rate18.7 %20.5 %20.2 %
Deferred tax assets and liabilities arising from temporary differences for continuing operations were as follows:
 December 31,
 20232022
Receivables$23,075 $18,304 
Accrued liabilities81,281 71,346 
Operating lease liabilities533,859 563,972 
Net operating loss carryforwards183,216 173,531 
Other52,142 58,827 
Deferred tax assets873,573 885,980 
Valuation allowance(113,237)(106,775)
Net deferred tax assets760,336 779,205 
Intangible assets(731,024)(690,914)
Property and equipment(127,191)(181,704)
Operating lease assets(486,864)(515,026)
Investments in partnerships(19,119)(80,876)
Other(87,918)(65,766)
Deferred tax liabilities(1,452,116)(1,534,286)
Net deferred tax liabilities$(691,780)$(755,081)
Reported as:
Deferred tax liabilities$(726,217)$(782,787)
Deferred tax assets (included in Other long-term assets)34,437 27,706 
$(691,780)$(755,081)
At December 31, 2023, the Company had federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $57,649 that expire through 2036, although a substantial amount expire by 2029. The Company also had state net operating loss carryforwards of $501,405, some of which have an indefinite life, although a substantial amount expire by 2043 and international net operating loss carryforwards of $391,510, some of which will begin to expire in 2026 though the majority have an indefinite life. The Company has a state capital loss carryover of $299,803, the majority of which expires in 2024. The utilization of a portion of these losses may be limited in future years based on the profitability of certain entities. A valuation allowance is recorded to account for the unrealizable balances in the table above. The net increase of $6,462 in the valuation allowance is primarily due to losses generated in state and foreign jurisdictions and from equity investments that the Company does not anticipate being able to utilize.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded a true-up to recognize net deferred tax assets related to historical purchases of noncontrolling interests in consolidated partnerships. The effect of this adjustment was an increase of $46,692 to net deferred tax assets, a charge of $16,044 to income tax expense, and an increase of $62,736 to additional paid-in capital. The Company’s prior purchases of this type have not generated significant pre-tax adjustments to additional paid-in capital in any single prior year. The majority of the $16,044 recorded to income tax expense was due to the decrease in the corporate tax rate in 2017.
The Company remains indefinitely reinvested in several of the foreign jurisdictions in which it operates as of December 31, 2023. As a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017 Tax Act), the Company does not expect any significant taxes to be incurred if such earnings were remitted.
Unrecognized tax benefits
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability for unrecognized tax benefits that do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold is as follows:
 Year ended December 31,
 20232022
Beginning balance$63,985 $73,024 
Additions for tax positions related to current year4,088 3,858 
Adjustments for tax positions related to prior years(7,273)24,683 
Reductions related to lapse of applicable statute(5,428)(6,073)
Reductions related to settlements with taxing authorities(7,993)(31,507)
Ending balance$47,379 $63,985 
As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s total liability for unrecognized tax benefits relating to tax positions that do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold is $47,379. Of this balance, $31,299 would impact the Company’s effective tax rate if recognized.
The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in its income tax expense. We recognized a benefit of $138 and an expense of $10,459 related to interest and penalties net of federal tax benefit within tax expense in 2023 and 2022, respectively. At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $6,525 and $8,208, respectively, accrued for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, net of federal tax benefit.
The Company and its subsidiaries are under examination in various state, local and foreign tax jurisdictions. In June 2023 we closed our audit with the IRS for the years 2016 and 2017. In 2022, the Company was able to reach a settlement with the IRS for tax years 2014-2015. Subsequent to the settlement, the Company filed a 2014 refund claim with respect to a contested issue that was included in the IRS examination. During 2023 the IRS denied the refund claim and the Company has until September 2025 to appeal. Except for the 2014 refund claim, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal examinations prior to 2020.