NOTE 13 - INCOME TAXES

 

The provision for federal income taxes consists of (in thousands):

 

  

2024

  

2023

  

2022

 

Income taxes currently payable

 $518   2,955   5,163 

Deferred income tax provision (benefit)

  1,951   (323)  (345)

Provision for income taxes

 $2,469   2,632   4,818 

 

 

A reconciliation between the statutory income tax and the Company's effective tax rate follows:

 

  

2024

  

2023

  

2022

 

Statutory tax rate

  21.0%  21.0%  21.0%

Increase (decrease) resulting from -

            

Tax exempt interest

  (0.7)%  (0.9)%  (0.6)%

Tax exempt income on bank owned life insurance

  (2.2)%  (1.6)%  (0.8)%

Captive insurance premium income

  (1.5)%  (0.8)%  (0.9)%

Affordable housing tax credit limited partnerships

  (2.0)%  (2.0)%  (0.8)%

Nondeductible merger-related expenses

  0.9%  1.7%  %

Other, net

  0.0%  (0.2)%  %

Effective tax rate

  15.5%  17.2%  17.9%

 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities, included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets with other assets, consist of the following at December 31 (in thousands):

 

  

2024

  

2023

 

Deferred tax assets:

        

Allowance for credit losses

 $2,530   2,217 

Net unrealized losses on investment securities available-for-sale

  5,101   5,923 

Fair value adjustment on loans acquired from mergers

  4,981   5,895 

Benefit plans

  203   277 

Deferred compensation

  556   580 

Minimum pension liability

     15 

Operating lease liabilities

  1,198   1,242 

Net operating loss carryforwards

  4,551    

Tax credit carryforwards

  718    

Other

  420   478 
   20,258   16,627 

Deferred tax liabilities:

        

Depreciation of premises and equipment

  (1,527)  (1,395)

Amortization of intangibles

  (3,588)  (2,808)

Mortgage servicing rights

  (653)  (865)

Prepaid expenses

  (575)  (525)

FHLB stock dividends

  (589)  (501)

Operating lease right-of-use assets

  (1,198)  (1,243)

Fair value adjustment on time deposits acquired from mergers

     (222)

Deferred gain on loans sold

  (305)  (305)

Other, net

  (130)  (198)
   (8,565)  (8,062)

Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)

 $11,693   8,565 

 

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023 there were no unrecognized tax benefits and the Company does not anticipate the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change within the next twelve months.  There were no amounts recognized for interest and penalties in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three-year period ended December 31, 2024.

 

 

As of December 31, 2024, as a result of the acquisitions of CNNB and EFBI, the Company has federal net operating loss carryforwards of $547,000, which expire beginning in 2027, and $21,079,000 that do not expire.  The use of the federal net operating loss carryforwards are limited by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, but they are currently expected to be utilized before their respective expiration dates.

 

The Company is no longer subject to examination by federal tax authorities for years before 2021.

About Income Taxes Disclosures

The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.

Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.