Note 15 - Income Taxes

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 15 INCOME TAXES

The Company and all of its eligible U.S. subsidiaries file a U.S. consolidated federal income tax return ("KFSI Tax Group"). The method of allocating federal income taxes among the companies in the KFSI Tax Group is subject to written agreement, approved by each company's Board of Directors. The allocation is made primarily on a separate return basis, with current credit for any net operating losses or other items utilized in the consolidated federal income tax return. The Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries file separate foreign income tax returns.   

Income tax (benefit) expense consists of the following:

(in thousands)	Years ended December 31,
	2023			2022
Current income tax expense	$	25		$	3,419
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense		(1,924	)		1,406
Income tax (benefit) expense	$	(1,899	)	$	4,825

Income tax (benefit) expense varies from the amount that would result by applying the applicable U.S. corporate income tax rate of 21% to income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense. The following table summarizes the differences:

(in thousands)	Years ended December 31,
	2023			2022
Income tax expense at U.S. statutory income tax rate	$	4,967		$	7,341
Valuation allowance		(7,678	)		(10,100	)
Indefinite life intangibles		258			106
Non-deductible compensation		435			867
Investment income		(18	)		(62	)
State income tax, net of Federal benefit		(2	)		3,052
Disposition of subsidiary		(18	)		3,268
Other		157			353
Income tax (benefit) expense for continuing operations	$	(1,899	)	$	4,825

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities are presented as follows:

(in thousands)	December 31,
	2023			2022
Deferred income tax assets:
Losses carried forward	$	132,302		$	137,155
Unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses and unearned premiums		3,795			3,902
Intangible assets		1,109			1,380
Debt issuance costs		85			474
Investments		—			2,065
Deferred rent		65			64
Deferred revenue		253			147
Compensation		173			306
Other		608			155
Valuation allowance		(129,375	)		(130,596	)
Deferred income tax assets	$	9,015		$	15,052
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Indefinite life intangibles	$	(4,152	)	$	(3,815	)
Depreciation and amortization		(1,180	)		(756	)
Fair value of debt		—			(7,598	)
Land		(47	)		(47	)
Intangible assets		(3,175	)		(2,606	)
Deferred revenue		(1,499	)		(1,188	)
Investments		(168	)		—
Deferred acquisition costs		(2,884	)		(2,784	)
Other		(951	)		(434	)
Deferred income tax liabilities	$	(14,056	)	$	(19,228	)
Net deferred income tax liabilities	$	(5,041	)	$	(4,176	)

The Company maintains a valuation allowance for its gross deferred income tax assets of $129.4 million (U.S. operations - $129.4 million; Other - less than $0.1 million) and $130.6 million (U.S. operations - $130.6 million; Other - less than $0.1 million) at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. The Company's businesses have generated substantial operating losses in prior years. These losses can be available to reduce income taxes that might otherwise be incurred on future taxable income; however, it is uncertain whether the Company will generate the taxable income necessary to utilize these losses or other reversing temporary differences. This uncertainty has caused management to place a full valuation allowance on its December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 net deferred income tax assets, excluding the deferred income tax asset and liability amounts set forth in the paragraph below.

In 2023, the Company (i) decreased by $2.1 million its valuation allowance primarily due to deferred tax liabilities assumed from corporate acquisitions; and (ii) increased by $0.3 million its valuation allowance relating to a change in indefinite life deferred income tax liabilities.

In2022, the Company (i) increased by $2.1 million its valuation allowance associated with business interest expense carryforwards with an indefinite life; and (ii) increased by $0.1 million its valuation allowance relating to a change in indefinite life deferred income tax liabilities.

The Company carries net deferred income tax liabilities of$5.0 million and $4.2 million at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, that consists of:

• $4.1 million and $3.8 million of deferred income tax liabilities related to indefinite life intangible assets; and

• $0.9 million and $0.4 of deferred state income tax liabilities.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") modified the U.S. net operating loss deduction, effective with respect to losses arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The Tax Act, however, did not limit the utilization, in 2018 and later tax years, of U.S. net operating losses generated in 2017 and prior tax years.

Amounts, originating dates and expiration dates of the KFSI Tax Group's consolidated U.S. net operating loss carryforwards, totaling $623.1 million, are as follows:

		Net operating loss
Year of net operating loss	Expiration date	(in thousands)
2009	2029	$	385,406
2010	2030		92,058
2011	2031		39,866
2012	2032		30,884
2013	2033		30,779
2014	2034		7,245
2016	2036		16,006
2017	2037		20,848

In addition, not reflected in the table above, are net operating loss carryforwards of (i) $6.9 million relating to losses generated in separate U.S. tax return years, which losses will expire over various years through 2037 and (ii) $0.1 million relating to non-U.S. operations, which losses will expire over various years through 2043.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending unrecognized tax benefits related to discontinued operations, exclusive of interest and penalties, is as follows:

(in thousands)	December 31,
	2023		2022
Unrecognized tax benefits - beginning of year	$	—	$	65
Gross additions		—		—
Gross reductions		—		(65	)
Impact due to expiration of statute of limitations		—		—
Unrecognized tax benefits - end of year	$	—	$	—

The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 would affect the Company's effective tax rate on discontinued operations, was a benefit of zero and $0.1 million, respectively.

During the years ended  December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of zero and $0.2 million, respectively, for the release of a liability for unrecognized tax benefits (including interest and penalties) that had been included in income taxes payable in the consolidated balance sheets.  The Company classifies interest and penalty accruals, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax (benefit) expense. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company recognized a benefit of zero and $0.1 million, respectively, for interest and penalties, which are included in income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes. 

The federal income tax returns of the Company's U.S. operations for the years through 2019 are closed for Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") examination. The Company's federal income tax returns are not currently under examination by the IRS for any open tax years. The federal income tax returns of the Company's Canadian operations for the years through 2018 are closed for Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA") examination. The Company's Canadian federal income tax returns are not currently under examination by the CRA for any open tax years.