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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the applicable provisions of the Code for every year beginning with the year ended December 31, 1999. We have also elected for certain of our subsidiaries to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS” or “TRS entities”), which are subject to federal and state income taxes. All entities other than the TRS entities are collectively referred to as “the REIT” within this Note 13.
Although the TRS entities have paid minimal cash federal income taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2015, their federal income tax liabilities may increase in future periods as we exhaust net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards and as our senior living operations reportable business segment grows. Such increases could be significant.
Our consolidated provision for income taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was a benefit of $7.3 million and expense of $3.4 million, respectively. The income tax benefit for the three months ended March 31, 2015 is due primarily to operating losses at our TRS entities. The income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2014 was due primarily to operating income at our TRS entities.
Realization of a deferred tax benefit related to NOLs depends in part upon generating sufficient taxable income in future periods. Our NOL carryforwards begin to expire in 2024 with respect to our TRS entities and in 2016 for the REIT.
Each TRS and foreign investment is a tax paying component for purposes of classifying deferred tax assets and liabilities. Net deferred tax liabilities with respect to our TRS and foreign investment entities totaled $371.8 million and $344.3 million as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, and related primarily to differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of fixed and intangible assets and to loss carryforwards.
Generally, we are subject to audit under the statute of limitations by the Internal Revenue Service for the year ended December 31, 2011 and subsequent years and are subject to audit by state taxing authorities for the year ended December 31, 2010 and subsequent years. We are subject to audit by the Canada Revenue Agency and provincial authorities with respect to entities acquired or formed in connection with our 2007 acquisition of Sunrise Senior Living Real Estate Investment Trust generally for periods subsequent to the acquisition. We are also subject to audit in Canada for periods subsequent to the acquisition, and certain prior periods, with respect to the entities acquired in connection with the Holiday Canada Acquisition.