The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act allows employers to defer the payment of the employer's portion of Social Security taxes for period beginning March 27, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020 to years 2021 and 2022. The company has elected to defer the payment of its portion of Social Security taxes through September 30, 2020 of $6.5 million and recorded a related deferred tax asset of $0.9 million at September 30, 2020.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was enacted into law. The Tax Reform Act is a complicated piece of legislation that, among other provisions, contains several key provisions which impact the Company, especially the reduction of the Federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. In addition, between September 28, 2017 and December 31, 2022, the Tax Reform Act allows for the full depreciation, in the year acquired, for certain fixed assets purchased in that year (also known as 100% bonus depreciation). The re-measurement of the deferred tax assets and liabilities for the enacted Tax Reform Act resulted in an $11.1 million discrete tax benefit recorded as of September 30, 2018.

Income tax expense is comprised of the following for the indicated periods (in thousands):

	Years Ended September 30,
	2020			2019			2018
Current:
Federal	$	17,083		$	7,921		$	(6,067	)
State		7,086			4,722			(1,016	)
Deferred
Federal		(2,643	)		(3,168	)		11,052
State		(901	)		(1,958	)		3,633
	$	20,625		$	7,517		$	7,602

The provision for income taxes differs from income taxes computed at the Federal statutory rate as a result of the following (in thousands):

	Years Ended September 30,
	2020			2019		2018
Income from continuing operations before taxes	$	76,543		$	25,154	$	63,107
Provision for income taxes:
Tax at Federal statutory rate	$	16,074		$	5,282	$	17,266
Effect of the tax reform on deferred taxes		—			—		(11,101	)
Impact of Company loss not subject to federal income taxes		—			—		53
State taxes net of federal benefit		5,224			1,626		1,864
Permanent differences		89			345		99
Change in valuation allowance net of effect of the tax reform		(113	)		23		107
Other		(649	)		241		(686	)
	$	20,625		$	7,517	$	7,602

The Tax at Federal statutory rate is determined based on income from continuing operations before tax and the enacted Federal statutory rate. For first quarter of fiscal 2018 the Federal statutory rate was 35%. For the remainder of fiscal 2018 and fiscal years 2019 and 2020 the Federal statutory rate was 21%. In fiscal 2018, income from continuing operations before tax was $28.7 million in the first quarter, and $34.4 million for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The components of the net deferred taxes for the years ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019 using current tax rates are as follows (in thousands):

	September 30,
	2020			2019
Deferred tax assets:
Operating lease liabilities	$	29,997		$	—
Net operating loss carryforwards		5,620			6,292
Vacation accrual		2,931			2,774
Pension accrual		3,807			4,504
Allowance for bad debts		1,653			2,235
Insurance accrual		2,283			2,419
Inventory capitalization		641			247
Fair value of derivative instruments		3,556			2,794
Other, net		1,208			—
Total deferred tax assets		51,696			21,265
Valuation allowance		(3,890	)		(4,003	)
Net deferred tax assets	$	47,806		$	17,262
Deferred tax liabilities:
Operating lease right-of-use assets	$	28,492		$	—
Property and equipment		14,305			13,485
Intangibles		19,091			21,883
Other, net		3,145			2,010
Total deferred tax liabilities	$	65,033		$	37,378
Net deferred taxes	$	(17,227	)	$	(20,116	)

In order to fully realize the net deferred tax assets, the Company’s corporate subsidiaries will need to generate future taxable income. A valuation allowance is recognized if, based on the weight of available evidence including historical tax losses, it is more likely than not that some or all of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The net change in the total valuation allowance for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 was $(0.1) million. The net change in the total valuation allowance for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019 was less than $0.1 million. Based upon a review of a number of factors and all available evidence, including recent historical operating performance, the expectation of sustainable earnings, and the confidence that sufficient positive taxable income will continue in all tax jurisdictions for the foreseeable future, management concludes for the year ended September 30, 2020, it is more likely than not that the Company will realize the full benefit of its deferred tax assets, net of existing valuation allowance related to State net operating loss carryforwards at September 30, 2020.

As of January 1, 2020, the Company had State tax effected net operating loss carry forwards (“NOLs”) of approximately $2.2 million after consideration of valuation allowances. The State NOLs, which will expire between 2023 and 2037, are generally available to offset any future taxable income in certain states

We file U.S. Federal income tax returns and various state and local returns. A number of years may elapse before an uncertain tax position is audited and finally resolved. For our Federal income tax returns we have four tax years subject to examination. In our major state tax jurisdictions of New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania we have four years that are subject to examination. In the state tax jurisdiction of New Jersey we have five tax years that are subject to examination. While it is often difficult to predict the final outcome or the timing of resolution of any particular uncertain tax position, based on our assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretation of tax law, we believe that our provision for income taxes reflect the most probable outcome. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of complex judgments about future events.