Income Taxes Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

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,
	2016			2015			2014
Current:
Federal	$	46,293		$	21,745		$	22,074
State	3,874			1,805			3,822
Foreign	22,612			16,816			13,977
Total current	72,779			40,366			39,873
Deferred:
Federal	(6,822		)	(8,581		)	(958		)
State	(330		)	(3,462		)	(5,019		)
Foreign	(6,627		)	(5,040		)	(4,056		)
Total deferred	(13,779		)	(17,083		)	(10,033		)
Total provision	$	59,000		$	23,283		$	29,840

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,
	2016		2015		2014
Statutory tax rate	35	%	35	%	35	%
State income taxes, net	1.1		0.3		0.6
Foreign rate differential	(14.6	)	(15.8	)	(13.8	)
Foreign income inclusion	9.4		5.4		5.8
Foreign tax credit	(5.5	)	(6.1	)	(6.4	)
Reserve for uncertain tax positions	4.7		(3.3	)	(2.2	)
Valuation allowance	(1.0	)	1.8		2.6
IRC Section 199 deductions	(1.1	)	(1.2	)	(0.5	)
Other	(0.1	)	(1.3	)	(1.9	)
Effective tax rates	27.9	%	14.8	%	19.2	%

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,
	2016			2015
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	$	59,806		$	11,559
Tax credit carryforwards	16,281			18,341
Accrued expenses	14,759			12,156
Allowance for bad debt	2,624			1,169
Share-based compensation expense	5,631			4,308
Basis difference in fixed assets	2,195			—
Impairment of investments	74			74
Deferred revenue	2,361			3,232
State taxes	1,758			522
Other	9,227			7,458
	114,716			58,819
Less:  valuation allowance	(12,028		)	(14,242		)
Total deferred tax assets	$	102,688		$	44,577
Deferred tax liabilities:
Basis difference in fixed assets	$	—		$	(5,457	)
Basis difference in intangible assets	(98,830		)	(41,351		)
Prepaid insurance	(246		)	(482		)
Convertible debt	(36,592		)	(31,091		)
Other	(2,088		)	(3,330		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(137,756		)	(81,711		)
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(35,068	)	$	(37,134	)

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

The aggregate changes in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits, which excludes interest and penalties, for 2016, 2015 and 2014, is as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Beginning balance	$	32,536		$	34,635		$	40,888
Increases related to tax positions during a prior year	2,082			10,361			919
Decreases related to tax positions taken during a prior year	—			(17,107		)	(8,284		)
Increases related to tax positions taken in the current year	6,703			8,841			3,765
Settlements	—			(4,194		)	(1,524		)
Decreases related to expiration of statute of limitations	(103		)	—			(1,129		)
Ending balance	$	41,218		$	32,536		$	34,635