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Income Taxes | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract] |
Income Taxes | 11. Income Taxes Ambac files a consolidated Federal income tax return with its subsidiaries. Ambac and its subsidiaries also file separate or combined income tax returns in various states, local and foreign jurisdictions. The following are the major jurisdictions in which Ambac and its affiliates operate and the earliest tax years subject to examination:
Jurisdiction |  | Tax Year |
United States |  |  | 2005 |
New York State |  |  | 2008 |
New York City |  |  | 2011 |
United Kingdom |  |  | 2006 |
Italy |  |  | 2007 |
On February 24, 2012, Ambac, the Creditors’ Committee, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account, OCI, and the Rehabilitator submitted to the Department of Justice, Tax Division a proposal (the “Offer Letter”) to settle outstanding disputes with the IRS which includes the following terms that Ambac believes will be acceptable to the United States: (i) a payment by Ambac Assurance of approximately $100,000; (ii) a payment by Ambac of approximately $1,900; (iii) Ambac’s consolidated tax group will relinquish its claim to all loss carry-forwards resulting from losses on credit default swap contracts and arising on or before December 31, 2010 to the extent such loss carry-forwards exceed $3,400,000; and (iv) the IRS will be paid 12.5% of any payment to Ambac by Ambac Assurance associated with NOL Usage Tier C (as described in the Amended TSA) and the IRS will be paid 17.5% of any payment to Ambac by Ambac Assurance associated with NOL Usage Tier D (as described in the Amended TSA). Finality of the settlement will require the satisfaction of certain conditions and the approval of the United States, the Bankruptcy Court and the Rehabilitation Court. On June 14, 2012, the Rehabilitation Court entered an order authorizing the Rehabilitator and the Segregated Account to proceed with such settlement; however, there can be no assurance that the IRS Settlement will be finalized on the terms described above, if at all, or as to the timing of any such settlement. Nevertheless, this possible settlement has been provided for in accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes. In 2011, Ambac settled tax years 2000 through 2010 with New York City for a cash payment of $2,000 and forfeiture of a $1,234 over payment, which was being applied to future tax years. As a result of the development of additional losses and the related impact on the Company’s cash flows, management believes it is more likely than not that the Company will not generate sufficient taxable income to recover the deferred tax operating asset. As of June 30, 2012, the company had a valuation allowance of $3,393,097. As of June 30, 2012 Ambac has an ordinary U. S. federal net operating tax carryforward of approximately $7,567,960, which if not utilized will begin expiring in 2028 and will fully expire in 2032. As disclosed above, to settle outstanding disputes with the IRS Ambac has proposed to relinquish its claim to all net operating loss carry-forwards resulting from losses on credit default swap contracts arising on or before December 31, 2010 to the extent such net operating loss carry-forwards exceed $3,400,000. The exact amount of the loss carry-forward relinquishment will be determined upon the execution of a closing agreement with the IRS.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 136, 172 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 + Details
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