Entity information:
In December 2017, the Tax Act was enacted which includes a number of changes to existing U.S. tax laws that impact the Company, most notably a reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The Tax Act also provides for the acceleration of depreciation for certain assets placed into service after September 27, 2017 and prospective changes beginning in 2018, including repeal of the domestic manufacturing deduction, acceleration of tax revenue recognition, capitalization of research and development expenditures, additional limitations on executive compensation and limitations on the deductibility of interest. As a result of the reduction in the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% under the Tax Act, the Company revalued its ending net deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2017 and recognized a $15.5 million tax benefit in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2017. The tax benefit recognized may be impacted if additional guidance is released.
The provision for income taxes consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Current:
 

 
 

 
 

Federal
$
2,194

 
$
7,480

 
$
31,351

State
2,162

 
5,788

 
10,937

Foreign (Puerto Rico)
78

 
267

 
574

Total current provision
4,434

 
13,535

 
42,862

Deferred:
 

 
 

 
 

Federal
(8,333
)
 
(1,533
)
 
4,708

State
1,668

 
(207
)
 
1,078

Total deferred provision
(6,665
)
 
(1,740
)
 
5,786

Total provision for income taxes
$
(2,231
)
 
$
11,795

 
$
48,648


The provision for income taxes reconciles to the amount computed by applying the federal statutory rate, 35.0%, to income before income taxes as follows (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Expected federal income tax
35.0
 %
 
$
11,406

 
35.0
 %
 
$
13,650

 
35.0
 %
 
$
40,149

State income taxes, net of federal income tax effect
8.0
 %
 
2,606

 
7.4
 %
 
2,859

 
6.8
 %
 
7,753

Permanent items
0.3
 %
 
88

 
(0.9
)%
 
(357
)
 
0.3
 %
 
390

Research and development tax credits
(2.6
)%
 
(850
)
 
(1.9
)%
 
(756
)
 
(0.8
)%
 
(864
)
Excess tax benefits and stock-based compensation
(0.7
)%
 
(243
)
 
(3.0
)%
 
(1,165
)
 
 %
 

Acquisition-related tax adjustments
(1.4
)%
 
(445
)
 
(4.3
)%
 
(1,686
)
 
 %
 

Enactment of the Tax Act
(47.4
)%
 
(15,461
)
 
 %
 

 
 %
 

Other
2.0
 %
 
668

 
(2.0
)%
 
(750
)
 
1.1
 %
 
1,220

Income tax expense
(6.8
)%
 
$
(2,231
)
 
30.3
 %
 
$
11,795

 
42.4
 %
 
$
48,648


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. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows (in thousands):
 
 December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
Components of deferred tax assets and liabilities
 

 
 

Deferred tax assets:
 

 
 

Accrued expenses and reserves
$
313

 
$
3,135

Stock-based compensation
3,040

 
2,849

Deferred rent
581

 
987

Net operating loss carryforwards
2,654

 
1,047

Other
758

 
904

Total deferred tax assets
7,346

 
8,922

Deferred tax liabilities:
 

 
 

Intangibles
9,568

 
18,046

Property, equipment and capitalized software
21,564

 
23,108

Prepaids and other
2,639

 
2,083

Total deferred tax liabilities
33,771

 
43,237

Net deferred tax liabilities before valuation allowance
26,425

 
34,315

Valuation Allowance
217

 
238

Net deferred tax liabilities
$
26,642

 
$
34,553


Uncertain Tax Positions—During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, changes in the liability for gross uncertain tax position, including interest, totaled $0.1 million, $0.1 million, and $0.0 million, respectively. The following table presents the changes in uncertain tax position (in thousands).
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Uncertain tax position
 

 
 

 
 

January 1
$
80

 
$

 
$

Gross increase in tax positions in prior period
291

 
80

 

Gross decrease in tax positions in prior period
(160
)
 

 

Gross increase in tax positions from acquisitions

 

 

Settlement
(211
)
 

 

Lapse of statute of limitations

 

 

Uncertain tax position at December 31
$

 
$
80

 
$


Net Operating Losses (“NOL”) carryforwards —At December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had U.S. federal and state NOL carryforwards of approximately $3.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. These NOL carryforwards will expire by 2037.
While the Company believes it has adequately provided for all tax positions, amounts asserted by taxing authorities could differ from the Company’s accrued position. Accordingly, additional provisions on federal, state and foreign tax-related matters could be recorded in the future as revised estimates are made or the underlying matters are settled or otherwise resolved.
The Company is subject to taxation by the United States of America, various United States of America jurisdictions, and Puerto Rico. The number of years with open tax audits varies depending on the tax jurisdiction.