Income Taxes Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The provision for income tax consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Current:
Federal	$	22,074		$	22,834		$	20,759
State	3,822			2,676			(289		)
Foreign	13,977			9,415			11,639
Total current	39,873			34,925			32,109
Deferred:
Federal	(958		)	3,678			2,427
State	(5,019		)	(235		)	314
Foreign	(4,056		)	(3,193		)	(1,591		)
Total deferred	(10,033		)	250			1,150
Total provision	$	29,840		$	35,175		$	33,259

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate with j2 Global's effective income tax rate is as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2014		2013			2012
Statutory tax rate	35	%		35	%		35	%
State income taxes, net	0.6			0.3			0.5
Foreign rate differential	(13.8	)		(17.9	)		(17.4	)
Reserve for uncertain tax positions	(2.2	)		4.3			4.9
Valuation allowance	2.6			1.9			3.2
IRC Section 199 deductions	(0.5	)		(0.5	)		(3.4	)
Other	(2.5	)		1.6			(1.3	)
Effective tax rates	19.2	%		24.7	%		21.5	%

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

Deferred tax assets and liabilities result from differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and liabilities. Temporary differences and carryforwards which give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2014			2013
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	$	13,774		$	9,596
Tax credit carryforwards	14,091			9,233
Accrued expenses	7,114			1,196
Allowance for bad debt	1,132			1,423
Share-based compensation expense	3,632			4,917
Basis difference in fixed assets	—			1,266
Impairment of investments	76			161
Gain on sale of intangible assets	—			123
Deferred revenue	250			812
State taxes	2,333			1,451
Other	789			—
	43,191			30,178
Less:  valuation allowance	(11,358		)	(8,493		)
Total deferred tax assets	$	31,833		$	21,685
Deferred tax liabilities:
Basis difference in fixed assets	$	(5,883	)	$	—
Basis difference in intangible assets	(51,566		)	(47,711		)
Prepaid insurance	(420		)	(369		)
Convertible debt	(26,272		)	—
Other	(7,981		)	(6,359		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(92,122		)	(54,439		)
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(60,289	)	$	(32,754	)

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

The aggregate changes in the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits, which excludes interest and penalties, for 2014, 2013 and 2012, is as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Beginning balance	$	40,888		$	35,421		$	28,366
Increases related to tax positions during a prior year	919			58			1,022
Decreases related to tax positions taken during a prior year	(9,808		)	(1,519		)	(557		)
Increases related to tax positions taken in the current year	3,765			6,928			6,590
Decreases related to expiration of statute of limitations	(1,129		)	—			—
Ending balance	$	34,635		$	40,888		$	35,421