INCOME TAXES

The provision/ (benefit) for income taxes consists of the following:



	Year Ended June 30,
	2019		2018			2017
Current:
Federal	$	54,800	$	56,060		$	80,752
State	12,946		9,948			9,469
Deferred:
Federal	4,177		(80,509		)	17,017
State	3,427		5,625			4,170
	$	75,350	$	(8,876	)	$	111,408

The tax effects of temporary differences related to deferred taxes shown on the balance sheets were:



	June 30,
	2019			2018
Deferred tax assets:
Contract and service revenues	$	13,450		$	—
Expense reserves (bad debts, insurance, franchise tax and vacation)	14,325			11,164
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards	2,713			2,759
Other, net	851			2,711
Total gross deferred tax assets	31,339			16,634
Valuation allowance	(415		)	(515		)
Net deferred tax assets	30,924			16,119

Deferred tax liabilities:
Accelerated tax depreciation	(31,846		)	(32,026		)
Accelerated tax amortization	(154,633		)	(141,274		)
Contract and service revenues	—			(5,067		)
Contract and service costs	(61,455		)	(46,055		)
Total gross deferred liabilities	(247,934		)	(224,422		)

Net deferred tax liability	$	(217,010	)	$	(208,303	)

The following analysis reconciles the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective income tax rates reflected above:



	Year Ended June 30,
	2019		2018		2017
Computed "expected" tax expense	21.0	%	28.1	%	35.0	%
Increase (reduction) in taxes resulting from:
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefits	3.7	%	2.9	%	2.6	%
Research and development credit	(2.5	)%	(2.0	)%	(2.1	)%
Domestic production activities deduction	—	%	(1.4	)%	(2.3	)%
TCJA deferred tax rate re-measurement	—	%	(30.0	)%	—	%
Tax effects of share-based payments	(1.4	)%	(0.8	)%	(0.8	)%
Other (net)	0.9	%	0.7	%	0.3	%
	21.7	%	(2.5	)%	32.7	%

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("TCJA") was enacted into law. The TCJA included numerous provisions that impacted the Company, including reducing the U.S. federal tax rate, eliminating the Domestic Production Activities Deduction, and providing expanded asset expensing. The TCJA reduced the U.S. federal statutory corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018. For fiscal 2018, a blended U.S. federal statutory tax rate of approximately 28% applied to the Company.

As of June 30, 2019, the Company has $4,542 of gross federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards pertaining to the acquisition of Goldleaf Financial Solutions, Inc. and Bolts Technologies, Inc., which are expected to be utilized after the application of IRC Section 382. Separately, as of June 30, 2019, the Company has state NOL carryforwards with a tax-effected value of $651. The federal and state losses have varying expiration dates, ranging from fiscal 2019 to 2037. Based on state tax rules which restrict utilization of these losses, the Company believes it is more likely than not that $415 of these losses will expire unutilized. Accordingly, a valuation allowance of $415 and $515 has been recorded against the state net operating losses as of June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The Company paid income taxes, net of refunds, of $62,005, $60,382, and $96,074 in fiscal 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

At June 30, 2019, the Company had $10,495 of gross unrecognized tax benefits, $9,892 of which, if recognized, would affect its effective tax rate. At June 30, 2018, the Company had $10,227 of unrecognized tax benefits, $9,366 of which, if recognized, would affect its effective tax rate. The Company had accrued interest and penalties of $1,514 and $1,279 related to uncertain tax positions at June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The income tax provision included interest expense and penalties (or benefits) on unrecognized tax benefits of $128, $165, and $(105) in the fiscal years ended June 30, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

A reconciliation of the unrecognized tax benefits for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 follows:



	Unrecognized Tax Benefits
Balance at July 1, 2017	$	5,449
Additions for current year tax positions	2,157
Reductions for current year tax positions	—
Additions for prior year tax positions	3,130
Reductions for prior year tax positions	(55		)
Additions related to business combinations	510
Settlements	(161		)
Reductions related to expirations of statute of limitations	(803		)
Balance at June 30, 2018	10,227
Additions for current year tax positions	1,135
Reductions for current year tax positions	(40		)
Additions for prior year tax positions	562
Reductions for prior year tax positions	(531		)
Additions related to business combinations	43
Settlements	(25		)
Reductions related to expirations of statute of limitations	(876		)
Balance at June 30, 2019	$	10,495

The U.S. federal and state income tax returns for fiscal 2016 and all subsequent years remain subject to examination as of June 30, 2019 under statute of limitations rules. The Company anticipates that potential changes due to lapsing statutes of limitations and examination closures could reduce the unrecognized tax benefits balance by $3,000 - $4,000 within twelve months of June 30, 2019.