INCOME TAXES |
6 Months Ended |
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Jun. 30, 2022 | |
| Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| INCOME TAXES | INCOME TAXES Our effective tax rate increased to 22.9% in the second quarter from 22.1% in the same period of 2021 (22.3% year to date compared to 22.5% in 2021). The recognition in income tax of excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation reduced our effective rate by 0.1% in the second quarter compared to 0.3% in the same period of 2021 (1.2% year to date compared to 0.8% in 2021). Other items that impacted our effective tax rate in the second quarter compared to 2021 included favorable changes in uncertain tax positions and unfavorable changes in our jurisdictional earnings mix.
As discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, we have recognized liabilities for uncertain tax positions and we reevaluate these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. A number of years may elapse before an uncertain tax position is audited and ultimately settled. It is difficult to predict the ultimate outcome or the timing of resolution for uncertain tax positions. It is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits could significantly increase or decrease within the next twelve months, however, an estimate of the range of reasonably possible outcomes cannot be made. Items that may cause changes to unrecognized tax benefits include the timing of interest deductions and the allocation of income and expense between tax jurisdictions. These changes could result from the settlement of ongoing litigation, the completion of ongoing examinations, the expiration of statutes of limitations or other unforeseen circumstances.
In the first six months of 2022, we recognized an immaterial income tax expense related to a pre-tax curtailment gain of $33 million on the UPS Canada Ltd. Retirement Plan. This income tax expense was generated at a higher average tax rate than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate because it included the effect of foreign taxes.
In the first six months of 2021, we recognized an income tax expense of $788 million related to a pre-tax mark-to-market gain of $3.3 billion on the UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan. This income tax expense was generated at a higher average tax rate than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate because it included the effect of U.S. state and local taxes.
As discussed in note 17, we recognized pre-tax transformation strategy costs of $41 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared to $116 million in the same period of 2021 ($96 million year to date compared to $234 million in the prior year). As a result, we recorded an income tax benefit of $10 million in the second quarter compared to $28 million in the same period of 2021 ($22 million year to date compared to $56 million in the prior year). The income tax benefit was generated at a higher average tax rate than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate primarily due to the effect of U.S. state and local taxes and foreign taxes.
We recorded a pre-tax valuation allowance against assets held for sale of $66 million during the first quarter of 2021, resulting in an additional income tax benefit of $16 million. This income tax benefit was generated at a higher average tax rate than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate due to the effect of U.S. state and local taxes. In the second quarter of 2021, we completed the divestiture of UPS Freight and recorded a pre-tax gain of $101 million. As a result, we recorded additional income tax expense of $24 million. The 2021 expense was generated at a higher average tax rate than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate due to the effect of U.S. state and local taxes.
Beginning in 2012, we were granted a tax incentive for certain of our non-U.S. operations, which was effective through December 31, 2021. During the first six months of 2022, the tax incentive was renegotiated and extended. The tax incentive is conditioned upon our meeting specific employment and investment thresholds, which we expect to meet. The impact of the tax incentive did not significantly change our effective tax rate for the first six months of 2022 compared to 2021.
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