7. Income Taxes

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

	For the Year Ended December 31,

	2012			2011			2010
Current—Federal	$	1,274		$	180		$	—
State		1,488			1,383			928
Foreign		(134	)		144			(106	)

		2,628			1,707			822

Deferred—Federal		(535	)		—			—
State		(80	)		—			—
Foreign		(401	)		(205	)		(184	)

		(1,016	)		(205	)		(184	)

	$	1,612		$	1,502		$	638

A reconciliation of our effective tax rate and the U.S. Federal statutory income tax rate is as follows:

	For the Year Ended December 31,

	2012			2011			2010
Taxes at statutory U.S. federal income tax rate		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%
Nontaxable income of HPT		(35.0	)%		(35.0	)%		(35.0	)%
State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefit		1.0	%		4.3	%		0.2	%
Alternative minimum tax		0.0	%		0.1	%		0.0	%
Foreign taxes		(0.3	)%		(0.3	)%		(0.2	)%
Change in valuation allowance		7.1	%		(3.1	)%		(6.1	)%
Other differences, net		(6.8	)%		(0.3	)%		(5.7	)%

Effective tax rate		1.0	%		0.7	%		0.4	%

Deferred income tax balances reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets and the amounts used for income tax purposes and are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered. Significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

	For the Year Ended December 31,

	2012			2011
Deferred tax assets:
Tax credits	$	12,091		$	12,014
Tax loss carryforwards		96,505			77,104
Other		7,550			11,473

		116,146			100,591
Valuation allowance		(112,286	)		(100,180	)

		3,860			411

Deferred tax liabilities:
Hotel basis difference		(19,276	)		(9,185	)

		(19,276	)		(9,185	)

Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(15,416	)	$	(8,774	)

Deferred tax liabilities are included in accounts payable and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

On January 31, 2007, we succeeded to certain tax attributes in connection with our acquisition of TravelCenters of America, Inc., including net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, we had a net deferred tax asset, prior to any valuation allowance, of $64,760 and $66,062, respectively, related to these carryover tax attributes. Because of the uncertainty surrounding our ability to realize the future benefit of these assets we have provided a 100% valuation allowance as of December 31, 2012 and 2011. As of December 31, 2012 these carryover tax attributes consist of: (i) net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes of approximately $136,420 which begin to expire in 2026 if unused, (ii) alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards of $4,430 which do not expire, and (iii) general business tax credits of $6,600 which began to expire in 2009. The utilization of these tax loss carryforwards and tax credits is subject to limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code.

At December 31, 2012 and 2011, our consolidated TRS had a net deferred tax asset, prior to any valuation allowance, of $42,292 and $30,806, respectively, which consists primarily of the tax benefit of net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits. Because of the uncertainty surrounding our ability to realize the future benefit of these assets, we have provided a 100% valuation allowance as of December 31, 2012 and 2011. As of December 31, 2012, our consolidated TRS had net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes of approximately $109,278 which begin to expire in 2023 if unused.