Table:
|  | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Beginning balance | $ 63.6 | $ 52.2 | $ 38.7 |
| Additions for tax positions of prior periods | 2.9 | 2.4 | 24.8 |
| Additions for tax positions of the current period | 4.2 | 6.9 | 4.2 |
| Additions due to acquisitions | 1.9 | 4.4 | — |
| Reductions for tax positions of prior periods | (0.3) | (0.4) | (11.2) |
| Reductions attributable to settlements with taxing authorities | — | — | (1.5) |
| Reductions attributable to lapses of applicable statute of limitations | (2.5) | (1.9) | (2.8) |
| Ending balance | $ 69.8 | $ 63.6 | $ 52.2 |
Paragraphs:
The Company recognizes in the Consolidated Financial Statements only those tax positions determined to be “more likely than not” of being sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the positions. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate is $68.2. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits were $1.8 in 2019 and are classified as a component of income tax expense. Accrued interest and penalties were $8.7 at December 31, 2019 and $6.9 at December 31, 2018. During the next twelve months, it is reasonably possible that the unrecognized tax benefits may decrease by a net $6.3, mainly due to anticipated statute of limitations lapses in various jurisdictions.
The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to examinations for U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax in various state, city and foreign jurisdictions. The Company’s federal income tax returns for 2016 through the current period remain open to examination and the relevant state, city and foreign statutes vary. The Company does not expect the assessment of any significant additional tax in excess of amounts reserved.
The Tax Act was signed into U.S. law on December 22, 2017. The Tax Act contains provisions which impact the Company’s income taxes including a reduction in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, a one-time deemed mandatory repatria- tion tax imposed on all undistributed foreign earnings, and the introduction of a modified territorial taxation system.
The SEC released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) on December 22, 2017 to provide guidance where the accounting under ASC 740, Income Taxes, is incomplete for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act upon issuance of financial statements for the reporting period in which the Tax Act was enacted. SAB 118 provides that if a company could determine a reasonable estimate, that estimate should be reported as a provisional amount and adjusted during a measurement period. If a company is unable to determine a reasonable estimate, no related provisional amounts would be recorded until a reasonable estimate can be determined, within the measurement period. The measurement period extends until all necessary information has been obtained, prepared, and analyzed, but no longer than 12-months from the date of enactment of the Tax Act.
The Company intends to distribute all historical unremitted foreign earnings up to the amount of excess foreign cash, as well as all future foreign earnings that can be repatriated without incremental U.S. federal tax cost. Any remaining outside basis differences relating to the Company’s investments in foreign subsidiaries are no longer expected to be material and will be indefinitely reinvested.
Question:
What was the addition for tax positions of prior periods in 2019?
Answer: 2.9