Table:
| Year Ended June 30, | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Federal statutory rate | 21.0% | 28.1% | 35.0% |
| Effect of: |  |  |  |
| Foreign earnings taxed at lower rates | (4.1)% | (7.8)% | (11.6)% |
| Impact of the enactment of the TCJA | 0.4% | 37.7% | 0% |
| Phone business losses | 0% | 0% | (5.7)% |
| Impact of intangible property transfers | (5.9)% | 0% | 0% |
| Foreign-derived intangible income deduction | (1.4)% | 0% | 0% |
| Research and development credit | (1.1)% | (1.3)% | (0.9)% |
| Excess tax benefits relating to stock-based compensation | (2.2)% | (2.5)% | (2.1)% |
| Interest, net | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.4% |
| Other reconciling items, net | 2.5% | (0.8)% | (1.3)% |
| Effective rate | 10.2% | 54.6% | 14.8% |
Paragraphs:
Effective Tax Rate
The items accounting for the difference between income taxes computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate and our effective rate were as follows:
The decrease from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2019 is primarily due to a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit related to intangible property transfers, and earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions resulting from producing and distributing our products and services through our foreign regional operations centers in Ireland, Singapore, and Puerto Rico. The increase from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2018 is primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, offset in part by earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions. The decrease from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2017 is primarily due to earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions. Our foreign regional operating centers in Ireland, Singapore and Puerto Rico, which are taxed at rates lower than the U.S. rate, generated 82%, 87%, and 76% of our foreign income before tax in fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Other reconciling items, net consists primarily of tax credits, GILTI, and U.S. state income taxes. In fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, there were no individually significant other reconciling items.
The decrease in our effective tax rate for fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018 was primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, and a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 related to intangible property transfers. The increase in our effective tax rate for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017 was primarily due to the net charge related to the enactment of the TCJA and the realization of tax benefits attributable to previous Phone business losses in fiscal year 2017.
Question:
Why did the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2019 decrease from 2018?
Answer: The decrease from the federal statutory rate in fiscal year 2019 is primarily due to a $2.6 billion net income tax benefit related to intangible property transfers, and earnings taxed at lower rates in foreign jurisdictions resulting from producing and distributing our products and services through our foreign regional operations centers in Ireland, Singapore, and Puerto Rico.