Income Taxes (Tables)
|
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2019 |
| Income Taxes [Line Items] |
|
| Schedule of income before income taxes |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Income Before Income Taxes | | | | | | Year ended December 31 (in millions) | 2019 |
| | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| Domestic | $ | 16,646 |
| | $ | 14,387 |
| | $ | 14,331 |
| Foreign | 350 |
| | 855 |
| | 1,022 |
| | $ | 16,996 |
| | $ | 15,242 |
| | $ | 15,353 |
|
|
| Schedule for the components of income tax expense |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Components of Income Tax (Expense) Benefit | | | | | | Year ended December 31 (in millions) | 2019 |
| | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| Current (Expense) Benefit: | | | | | | Federal | $ | (2,085 | ) | | $ | (2,026 | ) | | $ | (2,411 | ) | State | (425 | ) | | (639 | ) | | (277 | ) | Foreign | (600 | ) | | (425 | ) | | (389 | ) | | (3,110 | ) | | (3,090 | ) | | (3,077 | ) | Deferred (Expense) Benefit: | | | | | | Federal | (902 | ) | | (546 | ) | | 10,651 |
| State | 15 |
| | 167 |
| | (11 | ) | Foreign | 324 |
| | 89 |
| | 6 |
| | (563 | ) | | (290 | ) | | 10,646 |
| Income tax (expense) benefit | $ | (3,673 | ) | | $ | (3,380 | ) | | $ | 7,569 |
|
|
| 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) | 2019 |
| | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| Federal tax at statutory rate | $ | (3,569 | ) | | $ | (3,201 | ) | | $ | (5,374 | ) | State income taxes, net of federal benefit | (306 | ) | | (212 | ) | | (299 | ) | Foreign income taxed at different rates | (126 | ) | | (147 | ) | | (70 | ) | Nontaxable income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 51 |
| | 20 |
| | 45 |
| Adjustments to uncertain and effectively settled tax positions, net | (3 | ) | | (144 | ) | | 62 |
| Accrued interest and penalties on uncertain and effectively settled tax positions, net | 13 |
| | (29 | ) | | (3 | ) | Excess tax benefits recognized on share-based compensation | 196 |
| | 75 |
| | 297 |
| Tax legislation | 31 |
| | 120 |
| | 12,682 |
| Other | 40 |
| | 138 |
| | 229 |
| Income tax (expense) benefit | $ | (3,673 | ) | | $ | (3,380 | ) | | $ | 7,569 |
|
|
| Schedule of the components of net deferred tax liability |
| | | | | | | | | Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability | | | | December 31 (in millions) | 2019 |
| | 2018 |
| Deferred Tax Assets: | | | | Net operating loss and other loss carryforwards | $ | 2,017 |
| | $ | 1,926 |
| Nondeductible accruals and other | 2,779 |
| | 2,656 |
| Less: Valuation allowance | 1,906 |
| | 632 |
| | 2,890 |
| | 3,950 |
| Deferred Tax Liabilities: | | | | Differences between book and tax basis of property and equipment and intangible assets | 29,387 |
| | 29,139 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of investments | 702 |
| | 491 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of long-term debt | 751 |
| | 604 |
| Differences between book and tax basis of foreign subsidiaries and undistributed foreign earnings | 143 |
| | 85 |
|
| 30,983 |
| | 30,319 |
| Net deferred tax liability | $ | 28,093 |
| | $ | 26,369 |
|
|
| Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits | | | | | | (in millions) | 2019 |
| | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| Gross unrecognized tax benefits, January 1 | $ | 1,543 |
| | $ | 1,497 |
| | $ | 1,443 |
| Additions based on tax positions related to the current year | 230 |
| | 229 |
| | 121 |
| Additions based on tax positions related to prior years | 133 |
| | 125 |
| | 319 |
| Additions from acquired subsidiaries | 1 |
| | 130 |
| | — |
| Reductions for tax positions of prior years | (344 | ) | | (346 | ) | | (251 | ) | Reductions due to expiration of statutes of limitations | (117 | ) | | (75 | ) | | (70 | ) | Settlements with tax authorities | (24 | ) | | (17 | ) | | (65 | ) | Gross unrecognized tax benefits, December 31 | 1,422 |
| | 1,543 |
| | 1,497 |
| Positions paid | (409 | ) | | (531 | ) | | (688 | ) | Liability for uncertain tax positions | $ | 1,013 |
| | $ | 1,012 |
| | $ | 809 |
|
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| 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) | 2019 |
| 2018 |
| 2017 |
| Foreign | | | | Current income tax expense | $ | (184 | ) | $ | (230 | ) | $ | (201 | ) | Deferred income tax expense | 44 |
| 31 |
| 7 |
| Withholding tax expense | (145 | ) | (163 | ) | (187 | ) | U.S. domestic tax expense | (35 | ) | 11 |
| (11 | ) | Income tax expense | $ | (320 | ) | $ | (351 | ) | $ | (392 | ) |
|