Entity information:
INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense (benefit) for each of the periods shown below consisted of the following:
 
2017
 
2016
Current tax provision
 
 
 
Federal
$
572

 
$
683

State
117

 
131


689

 
814

Deferred tax provision (benefit)
 
 
 
Federal
535

 
406

State
99

 
66


634

 
472

Total
$
1,323

 
$
1,286


The provision for income taxes differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying statutory federal income tax rates to pretax income as result of the following differences:
 
2017
 
2016
 
Amount
 
Rate
 
Amount
 
Rate
Tax expense at statutory rate
$
1,299

 
34.00
 %
 
$
1,312

 
34.00
 %
State income taxes net of federal
216

 
5.64
 %
 
197

 
5.10
 %
Tax exempt interest
(229
)
 
(5.98
)%
 
(166
)
 
(4.26
)%
Other
37

 
0.96
 %
 
(57
)
 
(1.51
)%
Total
$
1,323

 
34.62
 %
 
$
1,286

 
33.33
 %

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The following is a summary of the significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively:
 
2017
 
2016
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
Allowance for loan losses
$
2,347

 
$
2,377

Deferred loan costs/fees
51

 
77

Director/officer compensation plans
90

 
299

Net unrealized loss on securities available for sale
178

 

Economic performance accruals

 
131

Other real estate
304

 

Deferred revenue
143

 

Loan Discounts
1,450

 

Other
100

 
177

Deferred tax assets
$
4,663

 
$
3,061

Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Office properties and equipment
(1,039
)
 
(291
)
Federal Home Loan Bank stock
(128
)
 

Core Deposit Intangible
(1,628
)
 

Other real estate
(114
)
 

Net unrealized gain on securities available for sale

 
(409
)
Prepaid expenses
(147
)
 

Mortgage servicing rights
(685
)
 

Other acquired intangibles
(264
)
 

Other

 
(98
)
Deferred tax liabilities
(4,005
)
 
(798
)
Net deferred tax assets
$
658

 
$
2,263


The Company regularly reviews the carrying amount of its deferred tax assets to determine if the establishment of a valuation allowance is necessary, as further discussed in Note 1 “Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” above. At September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively, management determined that no valuation allowance was necessary.
The Company’s income tax returns are subject to review and examination by federal, state and local government authorities. As of September 30, 2017, years open to examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service include taxable years ended September 30, 2014 to present. The years open to examination by state and local government authorities varies by jurisdiction.
The tax effects from uncertain tax positions can be recognized in the financial statements, provided the position is more likely than not to be sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the position. The Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized, upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. The Company applied the foregoing accounting standard to all of its tax positions for which the statute of limitations remained open as of the date of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax issues as components of other noninterest expense. During the twelve months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company recognized penalties and interest expense in the amount of $0 and $24, respectively, related to income tax issues which is included in other noninterest expense in its consolidated statements of operations. The Company had a recorded liability of $11 and $24, which is included in other liabilities in its consolidated balance sheets, for the payment of interest and penalties related to income tax issues as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.