NORTECH SYSTEMS INC Income Taxes Disclosure
NOTE 6. INCOME TAXES
The income tax expense consists of the following for the years ended December 31:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Current | ||||||||
| Federal | $ | (287 | ) | $ | 388 | |||
| State | 22 | 75 | ||||||
| Foreign | 633 | 491 | ||||||
| Deferred | ||||||||
| Federal | 127 | (2,360 | ) | |||||
| State | (119 | ) | (241 | ) | ||||
| Foreign | (20 | ) | 239 | |||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | $ | 356 | $ | (1,408 | ) | |||
The statutory rate reconciliation is as follows for the years ended December 31:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Statutory rate | $ | (200 | ) | $ | 1,148 | |||
| State income tax | (101 | ) | 79 | |||||
| Effect of foreign operations | (126 | ) | (124 | ) | ||||
| Research and development | (121 | ) | (316 | ) | ||||
| Valuation allowance | (2,563 | ) | ||||||
| Maquiladora tax | 176 | 158 | ||||||
| US permanent differences | (48 | ) | (44 | ) | ||||
| Global intangible low-taxed income effect | 484 | 7 | ||||||
| Withholding tax | 143 | 318 | ||||||
| Other | 149 | (71 | ) | |||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | $ | 356 | $ | (1,408 | ) | |||
Income and loss from operations before income taxes was derived from the following jurisdictions for the years ended December 31:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| United States | $ | (3,284 | ) | $ | 3,307 | |||
| Foreign | 2,345 | 2,159 | ||||||
| $ | (939 | ) | $ | 5,466 | ||||
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) consist of the following for the years ended December 31:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets | ||||||||
| Inventory | $ | 535 | $ | 423 | ||||
| Net operating losses | 241 | |||||||
| Accrued bonus | 440 | |||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 277 | 206 | ||||||
| Other accruals | 94 | 415 | ||||||
| Lease accounting lease liability | 1,624 | 1,229 | ||||||
| Capitalized research expenses | 928 | 1,007 | ||||||
| Tax credit carryforwards | 151 | 94 | ||||||
| Intangibles | 422 | 477 | ||||||
| Other | 542 | 139 | ||||||
| Total deferred tax assets | 4,814 | 4,430 | ||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | ||||||||
| Lease accounting lease asset | (1,562 | ) | (1,168 | ) | ||||
| Withholding tax | (219 | ) | (239 | ) | ||||
| Prepaid expenses | (186 | ) | (213 | ) | ||||
| Property and equipment | (278 | ) | (276 | ) | ||||
| Other | (213 | ) | (133 | ) | ||||
| Total deferred tax liabilities | (2,458 | ) | (2,029 | ) | ||||
| Net deferred tax assets | $ | 2,356 | $ | 2,401 | ||||
We regularly assess the need for a valuation allowance related to our deferred income tax assets to determine, based on the weight of the available positive and negative evidence, whether it is more likely than not that some or all of such deferred assets will not be realized. In our assessments, the Company considers recent financial operating results, potential sources of taxable income, the reversal of existing taxable differences, taxable income in prior carryback years, if permitted under tax law, and tax planning strategies. Based on our most recent assessment, for the year ended December 31, 2024, we have concluded that our deferred income tax assets are more likely than not to be realized. Our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2024 have a deferred tax asset of $2,575 related to our US taxable operations and a $219 deferred tax liability included other long-term liabilities related to our Chinese taxes, for a net deferred tax asset of $2,356.
As of December 31, 2024, for U.S. state purposes, we have a Minnesota research and development credit carry forward of $123, which will begin to expire in 2029.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) was enacted on December 22, 2017 and includes the requirement to capitalize and amortize over years research and experimental expenditures beginning in 2022. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023 the deferred tax asset associated with capitalized research and experimental expenditures was $928 and $1,007, respectively.
The tax effects from uncertain tax positions can be recognized in our consolidated financial statements, only if the position is more likely than not to be sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the position. We recognize 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 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 following tables set forth changes in our total gross unrecognized tax benefit liabilities, excluding accrued interest, for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
| Balance as of January 1, 2023 | $ | 50 | ||
| Tax positions - additions | 81 | |||
| Tax positions - reductions | ||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | 131 | |||
| Tax positions - additions | 13 | |||
| Tax positions - reductions | (47 | ) | ||
| Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $ | 97 |
Our policy is to accrue interest related to potential underpayment of income taxes with a corresponding increase in income tax expense. The liability for accrued interest as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 was not significant. Interest is computed on the difference between our uncertain tax benefit positions and the amount deducted or expected to be deducted in our filed tax returns.
We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to federal and state and local income tax examinations for years before 2020.
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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.