Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: Income Taxes (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Policies

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” whereby deferred taxes are computed under the asset and liability method.

The Company accounts for deferred taxes under ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires that all deferred income taxes are classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position.

The TCJA contains a deemed repatriation transition tax (REPAT tax) on accumulated earnings and profits of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries that have not been subject to U.S. tax.  The Company has elected to pay its net REPAT tax over eight years.  

On December 22, 2017, the SEC issued SAB 118 which provided guidance on accounting for the impact of the TCJA.  SAB 118 provides a measurement period of up to one year from enactment for a company to complete its tax accounting under ASC 740.  Once a company was able to make a reasonable estimate and record a provisional amount for effects of the TCJA, it was required to do so.

During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company recorded a provisional tax charge for the REPAT tax of $6,288 and a provisional tax credit of $230 for the re-measurement of its U.S. deferred tax balances.  Both provisional tax amounts were the Company’s reasonable estimate of the impact of the TCJA based on its understanding and available guidance.  During the third quarter of 2018, the Company recognized a benefit of $3,230 from adjustments to the provisional amount recorded for the REPAT tax at December 31, 2017, and included this adjustment as a component of income tax expense from continuing operations. During the fourth quarter of 2019, after consultation with specialists in Utah most knowledgeable of Utah State Tax Commission rules, UTMD’s estimate of the State portion of the REPAT tax was reduced by $403.  The Company recognized a net benefit of $266 from its adjustment to the provisional amount recorded for the REPAT tax at December 31, 2017 because the reduced deductibility of the State REPAT tax increased the Federal REPAT tax estimate by $137.  The net $266 benefit was included in 4Q 2019 as a component of income tax expense from continuing operations.

The Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, in Utah, in the United Kingdom, in Australia, in Ireland and in Canada.  

The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and any related penalties in income taxes. The Company did not recognize any tax-related interest expense or have any tax penalties in any of the two years 2018 through 2019.  In 2020 the Company paid tax penalties of $4.