The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method in accordance with the requirements of US GAAP. Under the asset and liability method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences of “temporary differences” by applying enacted statutory tax rates applicable to future years to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and liabilities.
U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. On December 22, 2017, U.S. tax legislation known as the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “TCJA”) was enacted. For corporations, the TCJA amends existing U.S. Internal Revenue Code by reducing the corporate income tax rate and modifying several business deduction and international tax provisions. Specifically, the corporate income tax rate was reduced to 21% from 34%, which resulted in revaluation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities and adjustment to the corresponding valuation allowance. Other changes that may have significant future impact on the Company's financial position relates to net operating losses, which going forward will have an unlimited carryforward period (previously 20 years) and no carryback period (previously 2 years), but deductions for such losses are limited to 80% of taxable income (previously 100% of taxable income) beginning with the 2018 tax year.
The balances of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | |||||||
| Net Current Deferred Income Tax Assets Related To: | ||||||||
| Allowance For Doubtful Accounts | $ | 50,000 | $ | 73,000 | ||||
| Depreciation And Amortization | 91,000 | 144,000 | ||||||
| Impairment Charges | 20,000 | 34,000 | ||||||
| Stock-Based Compensation Expenses | 60,000 | 91,000 | ||||||
| Accrued Liabilities | 8,000 | 11,000 | ||||||
| Other | 16,860 | 3,923 | ||||||
| Net Operating Loss Carryforwards | 25,042,000 | 35,916,000 | ||||||
| Total | 25,287,860 | 36,272,923 | ||||||
| Less Valuation Allowance | (25,287,860 | ) | (36,272,923 | ) | ||||
| Net Current Deferred Income Tax | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
Under US GAAP, a valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized.
Total income tax expense differs from expected income tax expense (computed by applying the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate of 34% to profit (loss) before taxes) as follows:
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | |||||||
| Tax Benefit Computed At Statutory Rate Of 34% | $ | (2,066,859 | ) | $ | (2,550,563 | ) | ||
| State Income Tax Benefit, Net Of Federal Effect | (276,837 | ) | (341,625 | ) | ||||
| Permanent Differences | ||||||||
| Stock-Based Compensation | 162,165 | 51,153 | ||||||
| Debt Discount Amortization | 308,109 | 543,177 | ||||||
| Other | 2,485 | 2,935 | ||||||
| Impact of U.S. tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 | 12,856,000 | — | ||||||
| Change In Valuation Allowance | (10,985,063 | ) | 2,294,923 | |||||
| Totals | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
As of December 31, 2017, the Company had U.S. federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of approximately $98 million, which don't have an expiration date. For state tax purposes, the NOL carryforwards expire between 2018 and 2033. In accordance with Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, a change in equity ownership of greater than 50% of the Company within a three-year period can result in an annual limitation on the Company’s ability to utilize its NOL carryforwards that were created during tax periods prior to the change in ownership.
The Company has reviewed its tax positions and has determined that it has no significant uncertain tax positions at December 31, 2017.