On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act makes broad and complex changes to the Internal Revenue Code. The Tax Act is generally applicable for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, but certain provisions of the Tax Act have an impact upon the Company’s financial statements for 2017, such as the reduction of the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

The Securities and Exchange Commission issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 118 to address uncertainty regarding the application of ASC 740 to the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law on December 22, 2017. The bulletin provides a measurement period (not to exceed one year from the Tax Act enactment date) for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740. To the extent that a company’s accounting for certain income tax effects is incomplete, but is able to determine a reasonable estimate, it must record a provisional estimate in the financial statements. If a company cannot determine a provisional estimate in the financial statements, it should continue to apply ASC 740 on the basis of the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately before the enactment of the Tax Act. The company was able to make reasonable estimates of certain effects and, therefore, recorded provisional adjustments as follows:

Reduction in the Federal Corporate Income Tax Rate: The Tax Act reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The change in tax rate requires a revaluation of the end of year deferred assets and liabilities of the Company. For these deferred tax assets, we recorded a decrease of $12.7 million with a corresponding adjustment to the deferred income tax expense of $12.7 million.

The Company follows ASC 740-10 “Income Taxes” which requires the recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statement or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between financial statements and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse.

A reconciliation of tax expense computed at the statutory federal tax rate on income (loss) from operations before income taxes to the actual income tax (benefit) / expense is as follows:

During 2017, approximately $1,200,000 of state net operating loss carryforwards expired and the Company lowered its effective state tax rate. The aggregate effect of these items resulted in a reduction to the allowance of approximately $100,000.

Deferred income taxes include the net tax effects of net operating loss (NOL) carry forwards and the temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company's deferred tax assets are as follows:

A valuation allowance is recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of the deferred tax assets depends on the ability of the Company to generate sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character in the future and in the appropriate taxing jurisdictions. As of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company’s valuation allowance, established for the tax benefit that may not be realized, totaled approximately $22,080,000 and $35,820,000, respectively. The overall decrease in the valuation allowance is related to the reduction of the federal income tax rate.

At December 31, 2017 the Company had net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $89,500,000 and $45,500,000 for federal and state income tax purposes which will expire at various dates from 2018 thru 2037.

The Company had indefinite-lived goodwill, which is not amortized for financial reporting purposes. However, this asset was amortized over 15 years for tax purposes. As such, income tax expense and a deferred income tax liability arose as a result of the tax-deductibility of this asset. The resulting deferred income tax liability, which was expected to continue to increase over time, had an indefinite life, resulting in what was referred to as a “naked tax credit.” This deferred income tax liability could have remained on the Company’s balance sheet permanently unless there was an impairment of the related asset (for financial reporting purposes), or the business to which those assets relate were to be disposed. Due to the fact that the aforementioned deferred income tax liability could have had an indefinite life, it was not netted against the Company’s deferred tax assets when determining the required valuation allowance. Doing so would result in the understatement of the valuation allowance and related income tax expense.  The deferred tax liability of $933,433 at December 31, 2016, related to EthoStream was reduced to zero as a result of the sale of EthoStream.

The Company’s NOL and tax credit carryovers may be significantly limited under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). NOL and tax credit carryovers are limited under Section 382 when there is a significant “ownership change” as defined in the IRC. During 2005 and in prior years, the Company may have experienced such ownership changes that could have imposed such imitations.

The limitation imposed by Section 382 would place an annual limitation on the amount of NOL and tax credit carryovers that can be utilized. When the Company completes the necessary studies, the amount of NOL carryovers available may be reduced significantly. However, since the valuation allowance fully reserves for all available carryovers, the effect of the reduction would be offset by a reduction in the valuation allowance.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions. The Company is generally no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2013 and various states before 2013. Although these years are no longer subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and various state taxing authorities, net operating loss carryforwards generated in those years may still be adjusted upon examination by the IRS or state taxing authorities if they have been or will be used in a future period.

The Company follows the provisions of uncertain tax positions as addressed in FASB Accounting Standards Codification 740-10-65-1. The Company has no tax positions at December 31, 2017 or 2016 for which the ultimate deductibility is highly uncertain. The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in operating expense. No such interest or penalties were recognized during the periods presented. The Company had no accruals for interest and penalties at December 31, 2017 or 2016. The Company’s utilization of any net operating loss carryforwards may be unlikely due to its continuing losses.