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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
We recorded a tax expense of $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to a tax benefit of $12.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.
For interim periods, our income tax expense or benefit is computed based upon our estimated annual effective tax rate and any discrete items that impact the interim periods.The estimated annual effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2019 is different than the comparable period in 2018 primarily due to losses in jurisdictions where the recording of a tax benefit is not available, as well as a $16.2 million tax benefit recorded in the first quarter of 2018 related to an adjustment of the provisional tax impact of U.S. tax reform. The tax benefit or expense recorded can vary from period to period depending on the Company’s relative mix of U.S. and non-U.S. earnings and losses by jurisdiction.
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a comprehensive U.S. tax reform package that, effective January 1, 2018, among other things, lowered the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and moved the country towards a territorial tax system with a one-time mandatory tax on previously deferred earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries. The effects of U.S. tax reform on us include two major categories: (i) recognition of liabilities for taxes on mandatory deemed repatriation and (ii) re-measurement of deferred taxes.
During 2018, we completed our analysis of the impact of U.S. tax reform based on further guidance provided on the new tax law by the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service. We finalized our accounting for the effects of U.S. tax reform during 2018 based on the additional guidance issued and recognized an income tax benefit of $15.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, including the $16.2 million tax benefit recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2018.
We have deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carryforwards in the U.S and in certain states and foreign jurisdictions. We recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that we believe these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future
reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, including the effect of U.S. tax reform, tax-planning and recent operating results. As of March 31, 2019, we do not anticipate being able to fully utilize all of the losses prior to their expiration in the following jurisdictions: the U.S, the U.K, Germany and Singapore. As a result, we have certain valuation allowances against our deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2019.