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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 were 29% and 31%, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016 was primarily driven by a relative increase in full year forecasted earnings in lower tax jurisdictions. The difference between our effective tax rates and the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate primarily results from our geographic mix of taxable income in various tax jurisdictions.
We recognize liabilities when we believe that an uncertain tax position may not be fully sustained upon examination by the tax authorities. This requires significant judgment, the use of estimates, and the interpretation and application of complex tax laws. When facts and circumstances change, we reassess these probabilities and record any changes in the consolidated financial statements as appropriate. In the first quarter of 2017, we recognized a tax expense of $1 million associated with the accrual of income tax reserves across our jurisdictions. Our net unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, included in our consolidated balance sheets, were $53 million and $49 million as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. 
Tax Receivable Agreement
Immediately prior to the closing of our initial public offering in April 2014, we entered into a tax receivable agreement (“TRA”) that provides the right to receive future payments from us to stockholders and equity award holders that were our stockholders and equity award holders, respectively, immediately prior to the closing of our initial public offering (collectively, the “Pre-IPO Existing Stockholders”). The future payments will equal 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal income tax that we and our subsidiaries realize as a result of the utilization of certain tax assets attributable to periods prior to our initial public offering, including federal net operating losses (“NOLs”), capital losses and the ability to realize tax amortization of certain intangible assets (collectively, the “Pre-IPO Tax Assets”). Consequently, stockholders who are not Pre-IPO Existing Stockholders will only be entitled to the economic benefit of the Pre-IPO Tax Assets to the extent of our continuing 15% interest in those assets. These payment obligations are our obligations and not obligations of any of our subsidiaries. The actual utilization of the Pre-IPO Tax Assets, as well as the timing of any payments under the TRA, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the amount, character and timing of our and our subsidiaries’ taxable income in the future.
Based on current tax laws and assuming that we and our subsidiaries earn sufficient taxable income to realize the full tax benefits subject to the TRA, we estimate that payments under the TRA relating to the Pre-IPO Tax Assets to total $387 million, excluding interest. The TRA payments accrue interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 1.00% beginning on the due date for filing the corporate tax return subsequent to the tax year in which the tax benefits are realized through the date of the benefit payment. The estimate of future payments considers the impact of Section 382 of the Code, which imposes an annual limit on the ability of a corporation that undergoes an ownership change to use its net operating loss carryforwards to reduce its liability. We do not anticipate any material limitations on our ability to utilize NOLs under Section 382 of the Code. We expect a majority of the future payments under the TRA to be made over the next five years. We made our first annual payment on the TRA liability in the first quarter of 2017 for $101 million, which included accrued interest of approximately $1 million. As of March 31, 2017, the current portion of our Tax Receivable Agreement liability totaled $75 million, which includes a negligible amount of accrued interest. The remaining portion of $213 million is included in other noncurrent liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2017. Payments under the TRA are not conditioned upon the parties’ continuing ownership of the company. Changes in the utility of the Pre-IPO Tax Assets will impact the amount of the liability recorded in respect of the TRA. Changes in the utility of these Pre-IPO Tax Assets are recorded in income tax expense and any changes in the obligation under the TRA are recorded in other expense.