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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

3.              Income Taxes

 

Our effective tax rate increased to 41.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from 39.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2013, primarily due to changes in state apportionments and permanent differences, including the aforementioned change in the New York State Franchise Tax. The principal differences between the statutory rate and our effective rate are state taxes and permanent differences.

 

We file income tax returns with the U.S. federal government and various state jurisdictions. We are no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years before 2010. We operate in a number of state and local jurisdictions, most of which have never audited our records. Accordingly, we are subject to state and local income tax examinations based upon the various statutes of limitations in each jurisdiction. We are currently being examined by Idaho.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, we recorded a tax benefit of $0.9 million and $3.0 million, respectively, related to the utilization of the income tax benefit from stock transactions by reducing income tax payable and increasing capital.

 

As of March 31, 2014 and 2013, the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits was approximately $1.5 million and $1.1 million, respectively, including, approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively (net of the federal benefit for state issues) of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would favorably affect our future effective tax rate.  As of both March 31, 2014 and 2013, the accrued liability for interest expense and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits was $1.1 million and $0.9 million, respectively.  We include interest expense and penalties in the provision for income taxes in the Consolidated Statements of Income.  The amount of interest expense (net of federal and state income tax benefits) and penalties in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 were immaterial.  We do not expect any significant change in unrecognized tax benefits during the next twelve months.