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Annual Report 2017

13 Income taxes

The Group is generally subject to corporate income taxes based on the taxable net income in various jurisdictions in which it operates. The components of the income tax expense were:

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USD millions

2016

2017

Current taxes

728

727

Deferred taxes

21

–595

Income tax expense

749

132

Tax rate reconciliation

The following table reconciles the expected tax expense at the Swiss statutory tax rate to the actual tax expense in the accompanying income statement:

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USD millions

2016

2017

1

Other, net includes tax return to tax provision adjustments from various jurisdictions.

Income tax at the Swiss statutory tax rate of 21.0%

918

110

Increase (decrease) in the income tax charge resulting from:

 

 

Foreign income taxed at different rates

191

11

Impact of foreign exchange movements

–5

71

Tax exempt income/dividends received deduction

–44

–51

Change in valuation allowance

–256

–77

Non-deductible expenses

65

57

Change in statutory rate

6

–60

Change in liability for unrecognised tax benefits including interest and penalties

–116

13

Other, net1

–10

58

Total

749

132

For the year ended 31 December 2017, the Group reported a tax charge of USD 132 million on a pre-tax income of USD 525 million, compared to a charge of USD 749 million on a pre-tax income of USD 4 372 million for 2016. This translates into an effective tax rate in the current and prior-year reporting periods of 25.1% and 17.1%, respectively.

For the year ended 31 December 2017, the tax rate was largely driven by profits earned in higher-tax jurisdictions, tax charges from foreign currency translation differences between statutory and US GAAP accounts and expenses not allowed for local tax purposes, partially offset by tax benefits from US tax law changes. The lower rate in the year ended 31 December 2016, was largely driven by benefits from the effective settlement of tax audits in certain jurisdictions and releases of valuation allowance on net operating losses partially offset by tax on profits earned in higher-tax jurisdictions.

At 31 December 2017, the tax rate includes a tax benefit of USD 93 million from US tax reform impact. The impact is included within the change in statutory rate and change in valuation allowance components of the tax rate reconciliation. The benefit arises from revaluing the US deferred tax assets and liabilities to the new US statutory tax rate of 21% (from 35%).

Deferred and other non-current taxes

The components of deferred and other non-current taxes were as follows:

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USD millions

2016

2017

Deferred tax assets

 

 

Income accrued/deferred

354

259

Technical provisions

640

488

Pension provisions

378

313

Benefit on loss carryforwards

2 914

2 296

Currency translation adjustments

339

490

Unrealised gains in income

424

487

Other

1 381

981

Gross deferred tax asset

6 430

5 314

Valuation allowance

–505

–475

Unrecognised tax benefits offsetting benefits on loss carryforwards

–23

–22

Total deferred tax assets

5 902

4 817

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

Present value of future profits

–336

–322

Income accrued/deferred

–600

–473

Bond amortisation

–124

–241

Deferred acquisition costs

–961

–918

Technical provisions

–3 547

–2 191

Unrealised gains on investments

–1 072

–984

Untaxed realised gains

–393

–294

Foreign exchange provisions

–527

–507

Other

–778

–807

Total deferred tax liabilities

–8 338

–6 737

 

 

 

Liability for unrecognised tax benefits including interest and penalties

–245

–238

Total deferred and other non-current tax liabilities

–8 583

–6 975

 

 

 

Net deferred and other non-current taxes

–2 681

–2 158

As previously noted in the tax rate reconciliation, a tax benefit of USD 93 million arises from revaluing the US deferred tax assets and liabilities to the new US tax rate of 21% (from 35%). Accordingly, the revaluing reduced the US deferred tax assets by USD 1 220 million and the US deferred tax liabilities by USD 1 313 million (net USD 93 million).

As of 31 December 2017, the aggregate amount of temporary differences associated with investment in subsidiaries, branches and associates and interests in joint ventures, for which deferred tax liabilities have not been recognised amount to approximately USD 3.2 billion. In the remote scenario in which these temporary differences were to reverse simultaneously, the resulting tax liabilities would be very limited due to participation exemption rules.

As of 31 December 2017, the Group had USD 9 705 million net operating tax loss carryforwards, expiring as follows: USD 19 million in 2018, USD 47 million in 2019, USD 14 million in 2020, USD 11 million in 2021, USD 8 502 million in 2022 and beyond, and USD 1 112 million never expire.

As of 31 December 2017, the Group had capital loss carryforwards of USD 1 096 million, expiring as follows: USD 4 million in 2020, USD 4 million in 2021, USD 6 million in 2022, and USD 1 082 million never expire.

For the year ended 31 December 2017, net operating tax losses of USD 1 036 million and net capital tax losses of USD 27 million were utilised.

Income taxes paid in 2016 and 2017 were USD 755 million and USD 720 million, respectively.

Unrecognised tax benefits

A reconciliation of the opening and closing amount of gross unrecognised tax benefits (excluding interest and penalties) is as follows:

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USD millions

2016

2017

Balance as of 1 January

343

216

Additions based on tax positions related to current year

37

24

Additions based on tax positions related to prior years

21

16

Current year acquisitions

24

 

Reductions for tax positions of current year

 

–9

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

–106

–12

Statute expiration

–47

–9

Settlements

–53

–29

Other (including foreign currency translation)

–3

9

Balance as of 31 December

216

206

As of 31 December 2016 and 2017, the amount of gross unrecognised tax benefits within the tabular reconciliation that, if recognised, would affect the effective tax rate were approximately USD 216 million and USD 206 million, respectively.

Interest and penalties related to unrecognised tax benefits are recorded in income tax expense. For the years ended 31 December 2016 and 2017 such expenses were USD 21 million and USD 2 million, respectively. For the years ended 31 December 2016 and 2017, USD 52 million and USD 54 million, respectively, were accrued for the payment of interest (net of tax benefits) and penalties. The accrued interest balance as of 31 December 2017 is included within the deferred and other non-current taxes section reflected above and in the balance sheet.

The balance of gross unrecognised tax benefits as of 31 December 2017 presented in the table above excludes accrued interest and penalties (USD 54 million).

During the year, certain tax positions and audits in France and Switzerland were effectively settled.

The Group continually evaluates proposed adjustments by taxing authorities. The Group believes that it is reasonably possible (more than remote and less than likely) that the balance of unrecognised tax benefits could increase or decrease over the next 12 months due to settlements or expiration of statutes. However, quantification of an estimated range cannot be made at this time.

The following table summarises jurisdictions and tax years that remain subjects to examination:

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Australia

2013–2017

 

Korea

2014–2017

Brazil

2011–2017

 

Luxembourg

2013–2017

Canada

2010–2017

 

Malaysia

2009–2017

China

2006–2017

 

Mexico

2012–2017

Colombia

2015–2017

 

Netherlands

2013–2017

Denmark

2011–2017

 

New Zealand

2012–2017

France

2015–2017

 

Singapore

2011–2017

Germany

2014–2017

 

Slovakia

2012–2017

Hong Kong

2009–2017

 

South Africa

2012–2017

India

2006–2017

 

Spain

2013–2017

Ireland

2012–2017

 

Switzerland

2014–2017

Israel

2013–2017

 

United Kingdom

2008, 2009, 2011–2017

Italy

2012–2017

 

United States

2011–2017

Japan

2010–2017