Entity information:
INCOME TAXES
 
Year-end deferred taxes are presented in the table below. As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted on December 22, 2017 (discussed below), deferred taxes as of December 31, 2017 are based on the newly enacted U.S. statutory federal income tax rate of 21%. Deferred taxes as of December 31, 2016 are based on the previously enacted U.S. statutory federal income tax rate of 34%.
The following temporary differences gave rise to the net deferred tax asset position at December 31, 2017 and 2016:
(In Thousands)
 
2017
 
2016
Deferred tax assets:
 
 

 
 

Allowance for loan losses
 
$
2,714

 
$
4,400

Deferred compensation
 
1,235

 
1,840

Defined Pension
 
684

 
1,450

Deferred Loan fees and discounts
 
211

 
320

Investment securities allowance
 
45

 
517

Unrealized loss on available for sale securities
 
14

 
329

Other
 
727

 
1,393

Total
 
5,630

 
10,249

Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 

 
 

Investment security accretion
 
95

 
244

Depreciation
 
537

 
588

Amortization
 
610

 
1,020

Total
 
1,242

 
1,852

Deferred tax asset, net
 
$
4,388

 
$
8,397



No valuation allowance was established at December 31, 2017 and 2016, because of the Company’s ability to carry back capital losses to recover taxes paid in previous years and certain tax strategies, together with the anticipated future taxable income as evidenced by the Company’s earning potential. The Corporation is no longer subject to federal, state, and local examinations by tax authorities for years before 2014.




The provision or benefit for income taxes is comprised of the following for the year ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015:
(In Thousands)
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Currently payable
 
$
5,690

 
$
3,054

 
$
3,527

Deferred benefit
 
(955
)
 
1,543

 
209

Change in corporate tax rate
 
2,724

 

 

Total provision
 
$
7,459

 
$
4,597

 
$
3,736



A reconciliation between the expected income tax or benefit and the effective income tax rate on income before income tax provision or benefit follows for the year ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015:
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
(In Thousands)
 
Amount
 
%
 
Amount
 
%
 
Amount
 
%
Provision at expected rate
 
$
5,859

 
34.00
 %
 
$
5,804

 
34.00
 %
 
$
5,996

 
34.00
 %
(Decrease) increase in tax resulting from:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Tax-exempt income
 
(811
)
 
(4.71
)
 
(1,092
)
 
(6.40
)
 
(1,492
)
 
(8.46
)
Tax credits
 
(177
)
 
(1.03
)
 
(312
)
 
(1.83
)
 
(737
)
 
(4.17
)
Change in corporate tax rate
 
2,724

 
15.81

 

 

 

 

Other, net
 
(136
)
 
(0.78
)
 
197

 
1.16

 
(31
)
 
(0.18
)
Effective income tax provision and rate
 
$
7,459

 
43.29
 %
 
$
4,597

 
26.93
 %
 
$
3,736

 
21.19
 %