3. INCOME TAXES

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

	2015			2014			2013
Current:
Federal	$	458,000		$	1,065,000		$	1,011,000
State		(271,000	)		484,000			(228,000	)
		187,000			1,549,000			783,000
Deferred:
Federal		(1,053,000	)		(1,790,000	)		(30,000	)
State		(254,000	)		(249,000	)		37,000
		(1,307,000	)		(2,039,000	)		7,000
	$	(1,120,000	)	$	(490,000	)	$	790,000

The difference between the statutory federal income tax rate and the Company’s effective rate is summarized below:

	2015			2014			2013

Statutory federal income tax rate		34.0	%		34.0	%		34.0	%
State franchise taxes (net of federal tax benefit)		(23.3	)		(38.3	)		5.0
State enterprise zone benefits		134.9			---			---
Business meals/gifts		(18.8	)		36.1			1.0
Domestic production activity deduction		(2.2	)		(135.7	)		(2.0	)
Dividends received deduction		225.7			(424.6	)		(10.2	)
Penalties for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		---			115.5			---
Prior year true-up		(7.30	)		84.7			---
Foreign tax credits		28.4			(17.9	)		(0.3	)
Effect of state rate change on beginning balance of deferred tax liabilities		(5.0	)		---			(2.4	)
Others		(5.5	)		(1.3	)		(7.8	)
Effective tax rate		360.9	%		(347.5	)%		17.3	%

At September 30, 2015, the Company’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities were comprised of the following:

	2015			2014			2013
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
Accrued liabilities, including supplemental compensation and vacation pay accrual	$	605,000		$	1,063,000		$	1,083,000
Impairment losses on investments		1,369,000			1,779,000			1,778,000
Bad debt reserves not yet deductible		82,000			78,000			78,000
Depreciation and amortization		3,251,000			1,822,000			356,000
Deferred revenues		1,378,000			1,116,000			---
Credits and other		869,000			12,000			41,000
Total deferred tax assets		7,554,000			5,870,000			3,336,000

Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
Unrealized gains on investments		(43,278,000	)		(48,896,000	)		(34,610,000	)
Goodwill		(896,000	)		(495,000	)	--- _
Total deferred tax liabilities		(44,174,000	)		(49,391,000	)		(34,610,000	)
Net deferred income taxes	$	(36,620,000	)	$	(43,521,000	)	$	(31,274,000	)

The Company recorded an income tax benefit of $1,120,000 on pretax loss of $310,000 in fiscal 2015. The effective tax rate was lower than the statutory rate primarily due to the dividends received deduction, the domestic production activity deduction and a discrete benefit of approximately $400,000 related to the California Enterprise Zone hiring credits which resulted from the Company’s filing amended California tax returns for fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2013. A benefit of this tax credit was recognized in the fiscal 2014 amended tax return. On pretax income of $141,000 for fiscal 2014, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $490,000. The Company’s effective tax rate was 361% and -348% for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively.

At September 30, 2015, the Company had an

accrued liability of approximately $2,991,000 for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits relating to an acquisition in fiscal 2013, after a reduction of $253,000 resulting from the recognition of deferred revenues and from the amortization of goodwill for tax purposes. The Company does not anticipate a significant increase or decrease in this liability in the next twelve months. If recognized, it is expected that these unrecognized tax benefits would not have a significant impact on the Company’s effective tax rate. At September 30, 2014, the Company evaluated a tax position taken on its prior year tax return and determined that the position did not meet the more likely than not criteria because that position taken was in contrary to the one accounted for in purchase accounting. The Company thus accrued a liability of approximately $3,244,000 for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits at September 30, 2014. There was no such an accrual in fiscal 2013.

During fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, interest expense of approximately $96,000, $537,000 and $0, respectively, was recorded as “interest and penalty expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits” in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). The Company files federal income tax returns in the United States and with various state jurisdictions and is no longer subject to examinations for fiscal years before fiscal 2012 with regard to federal income taxes and fiscal 2011 for state income taxes.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance for liabilities associated with these uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

Uncertain Tax Liability
	2015			2014		2013

Beginning balance	$	3,244,000		$	---	$	---
Added liability for the prior year		---			2,393,000		---
Added liability for the current year		---			851,000		---
Tax payment upon settlement		---			---		---
Reduced liability for the current year		(253,000	)		---		---
Ending balance	$	2,991,000		$	3,244,000	$	---