INCOME TAXES

Our total income tax benefit for our (loss) income before income taxes were as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019			2018
(Loss) income before income taxes	$	(59	)	$	1,875
Total income tax benefit	(1,010		)	(280		)

There were cash refunds of $0.1 million for income taxes, net of payments, for the three months ended March 31, 2019, and there were $18 thousand in cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds, for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The Company’s tax benefit increased to $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to the tax benefit of $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in tax benefits is due to an increase in stock-based compensation excess tax benefits recognized in our income statement. In the first quarter of 2019, the Company recognized $1.1 million in excess tax benefits related to employee share based compensation compared to $0.8 million recognized in the first quarter of 2018.