TAXATION

The components of income before taxes for the years ended December 31 are as follows:



Origin of income before taxes	2013		2012			2011
United States	$	6,025	$	5,655		$	8,244
Foreign	1,840		(577		)	1,013
Income before taxes	$	7,865	$	5,078		$	9,257

Significant components of income tax expense for the years ended December 31 are as follows:



	2013			2012			2011
Current:
Federal	$	1,114		$	1,529		$	1,456
State	334			425			402
Foreign	836			471			482
Total current	2,284			2,425			2,340
Deferred:
Federal	642			9			674
State	(78		)	1			95
Foreign	(84		)	(133		)	—
Total deferred	480			(123		)	769
Income tax expense	$	2,764		$	2,302		$	3,109

A reconciliation between the provision for income taxes calculated at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate and the consolidated income tax expense in the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31 is as follows:



	2013		2012		2011
Provision at the U.S. federal statutory rate	34.0	%	34.0	%	34.0	%
State taxes, net of federal benefit	1.9	%	4.2	%	3.2	%
Foreign tax rate differential	(2.5	)%	—	%	(1.2	)%
Valuation allowance	2.9	%	10.5	%	2.7	%
Research credits	(4.2	)%	(10.0	)%	(6.5	)%
Stock-based compensation	(0.4	)%	0.3	%	—	%
Other	3.4	%	6.3	%	1.4	%
Income tax expense effective rate	35.1	%	45.3	%	33.6	%

The deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31 are as follows:



	2013			2012
Deferred tax assets:
Stock compensation expense	$	4,922		$	7,936
Alternative minimum tax credit	—			71
Warranty reserve	232			291
Bad debts reserve	131			65
Vacation accrual	188			157
Commissions and other accruals	223			205
Deferred rent liability	36			53
Equipment	92			69
Intangible assets	921			778
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,833			1,868
Total deferred tax assets	8,578			11,493
Deferred tax liabilities:
Equipment	(1,610		)	(1,466		)
Prepaid expenses	(285		)	(200		)
Patents	(628		)	(489		)
Goodwill	(3,792		)	(3,193		)
Other	(12		)	(16		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(6,327		)	(5,364		)
Net deferred tax asset before valuation allowance	2,251			6,129
Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets	(1,833		)	(1,868		)
Net deferred tax asset	$	418		$	4,261

Net deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded as follows within the consolidated balance sheets:



Current assets	$	477		$	573
Long-term (liability) assets	(59		)	3,688
Net deferred tax asset	$	418		$	4,261

The change in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets for the years ended December 31 is as follows:



Year	Balance at January 1		Charged to costs and expenses	(Deductions)/Other		Balance at December 31
2011	$	1,102	—	225		$	1,327
2012	$	1,327	—	541		$	1,868
2013	$	1,868	—	(35	)	$	1,833

For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, we recorded tax benefits from the exercise of stock options in the amount of $67, $0 and $77, respectively. This amount was recorded as an increase in additional paid-in capital on the consolidated balance sheet and as cash from financing activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows. We also reduced the deferred tax asset related to stock-based compensation by $121 and $57 for fully vested options that expired unexercised and by $3,255 and $101 for the excess of stock-based compensation over the related tax benefit recognized for restricted stock units that vested during 2013 and 2012, respectively. These reductions in deferred tax assets were recorded against additional paid-in capital and had no impact on our results from operations.

As required by ASC 740, we recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority.

The following table summarizes our unrecognized tax benefit activity (excluding interest and penalties) during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:



Description	2013			2012			2011
Balance at beginning of period	$	39		$	505		$	664
Increases in positions taken in a prior period	—			—			—
Decreases in positions taken in a prior period	—			—			—
Increases in positions taken in a current period	65			39			117
Decreases in positions taken in a current period	—			—			—
Decreases due to settlements	(39		)	(202		)	—
Decreases due to lapse of statute of limitations	—			(303		)	(276		)
Balance at end of period	$	65		$	39		$	505

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense for all periods presented. The amount of interest and penalties that we recognized in income tax expense during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 was $0, $3 and $162, respectively. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, including interest and penalties, was $65, $42 and $667, respectively, all of which if ultimately recognized will reduce our annual effective tax rate. We estimate that none of the unrecognized tax benefit will be recognized into income in 2014 due to the lapsing of statute of limitations.

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various states and foreign jurisdictions. Tax regulations within each jurisdiction are subject to the interpretation of the related tax laws and regulations and require significant judgment to apply. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for the years before 2010. We underwent examination for federal tax and state of Illinois purposes for the 2010 and 2011 tax years, and any potential tax obligations in those jurisdictions have been settled, or effectively settled, and are no longer subject to tax examination.

Management periodically estimates our probable tax obligations using historical experience in tax jurisdictions and informed judgments. There are inherent uncertainties related to the interpretation of tax regulations in the jurisdictions in which we transact business. The judgments and estimates made at a point in time may change based on the outcome of tax audits, as well as changes to or further interpretations of regulations. If such changes take place, there is a risk that the tax rate may increase or decrease in any period. Tax accruals for tax liabilities related to potential changes in judgments and estimates for both federal and state tax issues are included in current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.

The investment in our foreign subsidiaries is considered to be indefinite in duration and therefore we have not provided a provision for deferred U.S. income taxes on the unremitted earnings from those subsidiaries. A provision has not been established because it is not practicable to determine the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability for such unremitted foreign earnings and because it is our present intention to reinvest the undistributed earnings indefinitely.

At December 31, 2013, we have tax loss carry-forwards of approximately $6,665 available to offset future foreign income in Italy. We have recorded a full valuation allowance against the resulting $1,833 deferred tax asset because we cannot anticipate when or if this entity will have taxable income sufficient to use the net operating losses in the future. There is no expiration of the net operating loss carry-forwards related to tax losses generated during the first three years of this entity’s operations. The portion of the foreign loss carry-forwards related to periods subsequent to the first three years of operations have a five year carry-forward period and will begin to expire in 2014 if not used by that date.