Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	(9) Income Taxes On May 19, 2012, CVR became a member of the consolidated federal tax group of AEPC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IEP, and subsequently entered into a tax allocation agreement with AEPC (the "Tax Allocation Agreement"). The Tax Allocation Agreement provides that AEPC will pay all consolidated federal income taxes on behalf of the consolidated tax group. CVR is required to make payments to AEPC in an amount equal to the tax liability, if any, that it would have paid if it were to file as a consolidated group separate and apart from AEPC. As of September 30, 2016, the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet reflected a receivable of $2.7 million which will be utilized to offset any future estimated federal tax payments due in accordance with the Tax Allocation Agreement. During the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company paid $15.0 million and $20.0 million, respectively, to AEPC under the Tax Allocation Agreement. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company paid $15.0 million and $47.5 million, respectively, to AEPC under the Tax Allocation Agreement. The Company recognizes liabilities, interest and penalties for potential tax issues based on its estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes may be due as determined under FASB ASC Topic 740 — Income Taxes. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $44.1 million, of which $28.7 million, if recognized, would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. Approximately $25.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits were netted with deferred tax asset carryforwards. The remaining unrecognized tax benefits are included in other long-term liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company has accrued interest of $7.4 million related to uncertain tax positions. The Company's accounting policy with respect to interest and penalties related to tax uncertainties is to classify these amounts as income taxes. The Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was 55.6% and 13.3%, respectively, and the Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 18.9% and 21.9%, respectively, as compared to the Company's combined federal and state expected statutory tax rate of 39.4% and 39.6% for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 varies from the statutory rate primarily due to the reduction of income subject to tax associated with the noncontrolling ownership interests of CVR Refining's and CVR Partners' earnings (loss), as well as benefits for domestic production activities and state income tax credits. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 varies from the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 due to the correlation between the amount of credits projected to be generated in each year in relative comparison with the projected pre-tax income (loss) for the respective periods and the expiration of the statute of limitations on previously unrecognized tax benefits in the first quarter of 2016.

(9) Income Taxes

On May 19, 2012, CVR became a member of the consolidated federal tax group of AEPC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IEP, and subsequently entered into a tax allocation agreement with AEPC (the "Tax Allocation Agreement"). The Tax Allocation Agreement provides that AEPC will pay all consolidated federal income taxes on behalf of the consolidated tax group. CVR is required to make payments to AEPC in an amount equal to the tax liability, if any, that it would have paid if it were to file as a consolidated group separate and apart from AEPC. As of September 30, 2016, the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet reflected a receivable of $2.7 million which will be utilized to offset any future estimated federal tax payments due in accordance with the Tax Allocation Agreement. During the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company paid $15.0 million and $20.0 million, respectively, to AEPC under the Tax Allocation Agreement. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company paid $15.0 million and $47.5 million, respectively, to AEPC under the Tax Allocation Agreement.

The Company recognizes liabilities, interest and penalties for potential tax issues based on its estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes may be due as determined under FASB ASC Topic 740 — Income Taxes. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $44.1 million, of which $28.7 million, if recognized, would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. Approximately $25.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits were netted with deferred tax asset carryforwards. The remaining unrecognized tax benefits are included in other long-term liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company has accrued interest of $7.4 million related to uncertain tax positions. The Company's accounting policy with respect to interest and penalties related to tax uncertainties is to classify these amounts as income taxes.

The Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was 55.6% and 13.3%, respectively, and the Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 18.9% and 21.9%, respectively, as compared to the Company's combined federal and state expected statutory tax rate of 39.4% and 39.6% for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company's effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 varies from the statutory rate primarily due to the reduction of income subject to tax associated with the noncontrolling ownership interests of CVR Refining's and CVR Partners' earnings (loss), as well as benefits for domestic production activities and state income tax credits. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 varies from the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 due to the correlation between the amount of credits projected to be generated in each year in relative comparison with the projected pre-tax income (loss) for the respective periods and the expiration of the statute of limitations on previously unrecognized tax benefits in the first quarter of 2016.