INCOME TAXES AND DEFERRED TAXES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES AND DEFERRED TAXES

INCOME TAXES AND DEFERRED TAXES

The Company files a consolidated income tax return including all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries on a calendar year basis. Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under this method, a deferred tax asset or liability is determined based on the enacted tax rates which will be in effect when the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and tax basis of existing assets and liabilities are expected to be reported in the Company’s income tax returns. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period of change. A valuation allowance is recognized as a reduction to deferred tax assets when management determines it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets will not be available to offset future income tax liabilities.

Accounting standards for income taxes prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, and also provide guidance on the de-recognition of previously recorded benefits and their classification, as well as the proper recording of interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosures and transition. The Company periodically reviews its income tax positions based on tax laws and regulations and financial reporting considerations, and records adjustments as appropriate. This review takes into consideration the status of current taxing authorities’ examinations of the Company’s tax returns, recent positions taken by the taxing authorities on similar transactions, if any, and the overall tax environment.

As of June 30, 2021, the Company has recognized $450,000 of unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions. The Company does not anticipate that there are additional uncertain tax positions or that any uncertain tax position which has not been recognized would materially affect the effective tax rate if recognized. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits in the income tax expense. The Company files consolidated income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in the Oregon, California, Utah, Idaho and Montana state jurisdictions.

Tax credit investments: The Company invests in low income housing tax credit funds that are designed to generate a return primarily through the realization of federal tax credits. The Company accounts for these investments by amortizing the cost of tax credit investments over the life of the investment using a proportional amortization method and tax credit investment amortization expense is a component of the provision for income taxes.

The following table presents the balances of the Company’s tax credit investments and related unfunded commitments at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 (in thousands):

	June 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
Tax credit investments	$	45,698	$	33,528
Unfunded commitments—tax credit investments	26,310		18,306

The following table presents other information related to the Company’s tax credit investments for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Tax credits and other tax benefits recognized	$	1,137	$	998	$	2,275	$	1,996
Tax credit amortization expense included in provision for income taxes	915		849		1,830		1,658