The Company recorded an income tax expense of $2,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2018, compared to income tax expense of $2,950 for the six months ended June 30, 2017. The income tax expense recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 was primarily due to state income tax expense.

 

The Company’s effective tax rate was (0.01)% for the six months ended June 30, 2018, compared to an effective tax rate of (0.04)% for the six months ended June 30, 2017. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 primarily relates to the valuation allowance on the Company’s deferred tax assets.

 

For interim periods, the Company estimates its annual effective income tax rate and applies the estimated rate to the year-to-date income or loss before income taxes. The Company also computes the tax provision or benefit related to items reported separately and recognizes the items net of their related tax effect in the interim periods in which they occur. The Company also recognizes the effect of changes in enacted tax laws or rates in the interim periods in which the changes occur.

 

As of June 30, 2018, the Company retains a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets. The realization of the Company’s deferred tax assets depends primarily on its ability to generate taxable income in future periods. The amount of deferred tax assets considered realizable in future periods may change as management continues to reassess the underlying factors it uses in estimating future taxable income.

 

The tax provision for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, was calculated on a jurisdiction basis.

 

On December 22, 2017, the United States enacted a law commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) which makes widespread changes to the Internal Revenue Code, including a reduction in the federal corporate tax rate to 21%, and repatriation of accumulated foreign earnings and profits, effective January 1, 2018. Additionally, on December 22, 2017, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The accounting for all items is expected to be complete when the 2017 U.S. corporate income tax return is filed in 2018. Any differences between what was previously recorded and the final tax return amounts or estimates done for subsequent quarters are not expected to be material.