Income Taxes (Tables)
|
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2018 |
| Income Taxes [Line Items] |
|
| Schedule for the components of income tax expense |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) | | | | | | Year ended December 31 (in millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| | 2016 |
| Current Expense (Benefit): | | | | | | Federal | $ | 2,026 |
| | $ | 2,411 |
| | $ | 3,190 |
| State | 639 |
| | 277 |
| | 480 |
| Foreign | 425 |
| | 389 |
| | 194 |
| | 3,090 |
| | 3,077 |
| | 3,864 |
| Deferred Expense (Benefit): | | | | | | Federal | 546 |
| | (10,651 | ) | | 1,183 |
| State | (167 | ) | | 11 |
| | 153 |
| Foreign | (89 | ) | | (6 | ) | | 98 |
| | 290 |
| | (10,646 | ) | | 1,434 |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | $ | 3,380 |
| | $ | (7,569 | ) | | $ | 5,298 |
|
|
| Schedule of items that effect income tax expense |
Our income tax expense (benefit) differs from the federal statutory amount because of the effect of the items detailed in the table below. | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year ended December 31 (in millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| | 2016 |
| Federal tax at statutory rate | $ | 3,201 |
| | $ | 5,374 |
| | $ | 5,014 |
| State income taxes, net of federal benefit | 212 |
| | 299 |
| | 373 |
| Foreign income taxed at different rates | 147 |
| | 70 |
| | 65 |
| Nontaxable income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (20 | ) | | (45 | ) | | (128 | ) | Adjustments to uncertain and effectively settled tax positions, net | 144 |
| | (62 | ) | | 24 |
| Accrued interest on uncertain and effectively settled tax positions, net | 29 |
| | 3 |
| | 17 |
| Excess tax benefits recognized on share-based compensation | (75 | ) | | (297 | ) | | — |
| Federal tax legislation | (120 | ) | | (12,682 | ) | | — |
| Other | (138 | ) | | (229 | ) | | (67 | ) | Income tax expense (benefit) | $ | 3,380 |
| | $ | (7,569 | ) | | $ | 5,298 |
|
|
| Schedule of the components of net deferred tax liability |
| | | | | | | | | Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability | | | | December 31 (in millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| Deferred Tax Assets: | | | | Net operating loss carryforwards | $ | 1,926 |
| | $ | 481 |
| Nondeductible accruals and other | 2,656 |
| | 2,092 |
| Less: Valuation allowance | 632 |
| | 377 |
| | 3,950 |
| | 2,196 |
| Deferred Tax Liabilities: | | | | Differences between book and tax basis of property and equipment and intangible assets | 29,139 |
| | 25,223 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of investments | 491 |
| | 466 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of long-term debt | 604 |
| | 673 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of foreign subsidiaries and undistributed foreign earnings | 85 |
| | 39 |
|
| 30,319 |
| | 26,401 |
| Net deferred tax liability | $ | 26,369 |
| | $ | 24,205 |
|
|
| Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits | | | | | | (in millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| | 2016 |
| Gross unrecognized tax benefits, January 1 | $ | 1,497 |
| | $ | 1,443 |
| | $ | 1,441 |
| Additions based on tax positions related to the current year | 229 |
| | 121 |
| | 74 |
| Additions based on tax positions related to prior years | 125 |
| | 319 |
| | 72 |
| Additions from acquired subsidiaries | 130 |
| | — |
| | 13 |
| Reductions for tax positions of prior years | (346 | ) | | (251 | ) | | (66 | ) | Reductions due to expiration of statutes of limitations | (75 | ) | | (70 | ) | | (44 | ) | Settlements with tax authorities | (17 | ) | | (65 | ) | | (47 | ) | Gross unrecognized tax benefits, December 31 | 1,543 |
| | 1,497 |
| | 1,443 |
| Positions paid | (531 | ) | | (688 | ) | | (340 | ) | Liability for uncertain tax positions | $ | 1,012 |
| | $ | 809 |
| | $ | 1,103 |
|
|
| NBCUniversal Media LLC [Member] |
|
| Income Taxes [Line Items] |
|
| Schedule for the components of income tax expense |
| | | | | | | | | | | Components of Income Tax Expense | | | | Year ended December 31 (in millions) | 2018 |
| 2017 |
| 2016 |
| Foreign | | | | Current income tax expense | $ | 230 |
| $ | 201 |
| $ | 38 |
| Deferred income tax expense | (31 | ) | (7 | ) | 96 |
| Withholding tax expense | 163 |
| 187 |
| 158 |
| U.S. domestic tax expense | (11 | ) | 11 |
| 13 |
| Income tax expense | $ | 351 |
| $ | 392 |
| $ | 305 |
|
|