17.       Income Taxes.

The Company is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and other tax authorities in certain countries, such as Japan and the U.K., and states in which the Company has significant business operations, such as New York. The Company is currently under review by the IRS Appeals Office for the remaining issues covering tax years 1999 – 2005. Also, the Company is currently at various levels of field examination with respect to audits with the IRS, as well as New York State and New York City, for tax years 2006 – 2008 and 2007 – 2009, respectively. During 2012, the Company expects to reach a conclusion with U.K. tax authorities on substantially all issues through tax year 2009. Also during 2012, the Company expects to reach a conclusion with the Japanese tax authorities on substantially all issues covering tax years 2007 – 2008 and commence an audit covering tax years 2009 – 2010.

The Company believes that the resolution of tax matters will not have a material effect on the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition of the Company, although a resolution could have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated statements of income for a particular future period and on the Company's effective income tax rate for any period in which such resolution occurs. The Company has established a liability for unrecognized tax benefits that the Company believes is adequate in relation to the potential for additional assessments. Once established, the Company adjusts unrecognized tax benefits only when more information is available or when an event occurs necessitating a change.

It is reasonably possible that significant changes in the gross balance of unrecognized tax benefits may occur within the next 12 months. At this time, however, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the expected change to the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits and impact on the effective tax rate over the next 12 months.

The Company's effective tax rate from continuing operations for the six months ended June 30, 2011, included a $447 million net tax benefit from the remeasurement of a deferred tax asset and the reversal of a related valuation allowance. The deferred tax asset and valuation allowance were recognized in income from discontinued operations in 2010 in connection with the recognition of a $1.2 billion loss due to writedowns and related costs following the Company's commitment to a plan to dispose of Revel Entertainment Group, LLC (“Revel”). The Company recorded the valuation allowance because the Company did not believe it was more likely than not that it would have sufficient future net capital gain to realize the benefit of the expected capital loss to be recognized upon the disposal of Revel. During the quarter ended March 31, 2011, the disposal of Revel was restructured as a tax-free like kind exchange and the disposal was completed. The restructured transaction changed the character of the future taxable loss to ordinary. The Company reversed the valuation allowance because the Company believes it is more likely than not that it will have sufficient future ordinary taxable income to recognize the recorded deferred tax asset. In accordance with the applicable accounting literature, this reversal of a previously established valuation allowance due to a change in circumstances was recognized in income from continuing operations.