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Note 11 - Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

11. Income Taxes

 

On an interim basis, the Company estimates what its anticipated annual effective tax rate will be and records a quarterly income tax provision in accordance with the estimated annual rate, adjusted accordingly by the tax effect of certain discrete items that arise during the quarter. As the year progresses, the Company refines its estimated annual effective tax rate based on actual year-to-date results. This process can result in significant changes to the Company's estimated effective tax rate. When such activity occurs, the income tax provision is adjusted during the quarter in which the estimates are refined and adjusted. As such, the Company’s year-to-date tax provision reflects the estimated annual effective tax rate. Therefore, these changes along with the adjustments to the Company’s deferred taxes and related valuation allowance may create fluctuations in the overall effective tax rate from period to period.

 

Due to overall cumulative losses incurred in recent years, the Company maintained a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets as of September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020. The Company’s effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate primarily due to operating losses that receive no tax benefit as a result of a valuation allowance recorded against the Company's existing tax assets. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding associated interest and penalties, was $0.2 million as of September 30, 2021, all of which, if subsequently recognized, would have affected the Company’s tax rate.

 

As of September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, there were no accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense, and the accrued interest and penalties are included in deferred and other long-term liabilities in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. There were no material interest or penalties included in income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, and 2020.

 

The Company is subject to taxation in the U.S. and in various foreign and state jurisdictions. Due to expired statutes of limitation, the Company’s federal income tax returns for years prior to calendar year 2017 are not subject to examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Generally, for the majority of state jurisdictions where the Company does business, periods prior to calendar year 2016 are no longer subject to examination. The Company does not anticipate a significant change to the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.

 

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law in March 2020. The CARES Act lifted certain deduction limitations originally imposed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”). Corporate taxpayers may carryback net operating losses originating during 2018 through 2020 for up to five years, which was not previously allowed under the TCJA. The CARES Act also eliminated the 80% of taxable income limitations by allowing corporate entities to fully utilize NOL carryforwards to offset taxable income in 2018, 2019 or 2020.

 

Taxpayers may generally deduct interest up to the sum of 50% of adjusted taxable income plus business interest income (30% limit under the TCJA) for tax years beginning January 1, 2019, and 2020. The CARES Act allows taxpayers with alternative minimum tax credits to claim a refund in 2020 for the entire amount of the credits instead of recovering the credits through refunds over a period of years, as originally enacted by the TCJA. The enactment of the CARES Act did not result in any material adjustments to the Company’s income tax provision for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, or to its net deferred tax assets as of September 30, 2021.

 

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (the “Act”) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The Act enhanced and expanded certain provisions of the CARES Act. The Act permits taxpayers whose PPP Loan are forgiven to deduct the expenses relating to their loans to the extent they would otherwise qualify as ordinary and necessary business expenses. This rule was applied retroactively to the effective date of the CARES Act, so that expenses paid using funds from PPP loans previously issued under the CARES Act are deductible, regardless of when the loan was forgiven. The Company’s $1.4 million PPP loan was completely forgiven in January 2021 and the expenses are currently deductible on the Company’s 2020 federal tax return.