7.        INCOME TAXES

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. Federal jurisdiction, and the state of California. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2013.

Included in the balance at September 30, 2017, are no tax positions for which the ultimate deductibility is highly certain, but for which there is uncertainty about the timing of such deductibility.  Because of the impact of deferred tax accounting, other than interest and penalties, the disallowance of the shorter deductibility period would not affect the annual effective tax rate but would accelerate the payment of cash to the taxing authority to an earlier period.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in operating expenses. During the period ended September 30, 2017, the Company did not recognize interest and penalties.