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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
May 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes under ASC 740, Income Taxes. The objectives of accounting for income taxes are to recognize the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns.

Significant judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against our deferred tax assets. Valuation allowances arise due to uncertainty of realizing deferred tax assets. ASC 740 requires that companies assess whether valuation allowances should be established against their deferred tax assets based on the consideration of all available evidence, using a “more-likely-than-not” standard. In making such assessments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. A company's current or previous losses are given more weight than its future outlook. Based on ASC 740 guidelines, as of May 31, 2014 and August 31, 2013, we have applied a valuation allowance of $1.4 million and $1.6 million, respectively, against our deferred tax assets. We will continue to assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be realizable at each reporting period and our valuation allowance will be adjusted accordingly, which could materially impact our financial position and results of operations.

We file tax returns in the US federal jurisdiction, as well as various international and state jurisdictions. Although certain years are no longer subject to examinations by the IRS and various state taxing authorities, net operating loss carryforwards generated in those years may still be adjusted upon examination by the IRS or state taxing authorities if they either have been or will be used in a future period. Due to such carryback claims, our federal returns from Fiscal 2004 to present continue to be subject to review by the IRS. Periodically, various state and local jurisdictions conduct audits, therefore, a variety of years are subject to state and local jurisdiction review.

As of May 31, 2014, our unrecognized tax benefits were $1.7 million and accrued interest and penalties of $1.5 million, of which if all were realized $2.3 million could have a positive impact on the overall effective tax rate. It is our policy to recognize interest and penalties accrued relative to unrecognized tax benefits as tax expense. We do not anticipate any significant changes in unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months. Actual results may differ materially from this estimate.