(9) Income Taxes

 

The provision for income taxes is summarized as follows:

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Current income tax expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$5,032

 

 

 

3,081

 

State

 

 

556

 

 

 

464

 

 

 

 

5,588

 

 

 

3,545

 

Deferred income tax expense (benefit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

197

 

 

 

693

 

State

 

 

235

 

 

 

338

 

 

 

 

432

 

 

 

1,031

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total income tax expense

 

$6,020

 

 

 

4,576

 

The following is a reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax expense to the Company’s effective tax rate:

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax-expense at the statutory rate

 

$5,428

 

 

 

21.0%

 

 

4,398

 

 

 

21.0%
State income tax, net of federal income tax effect

 

 

685

 

 

 

2.6%

 

 

635

 

 

 

3.0%
Increases (decreases):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax credits

 

 

(10)

 

 

0.0%

 

 

(10)

 

 

-0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nontaxable and nondeductible items, net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax-exempt income

 

 

(98)

 

 

-0.4%

 

 

(114)

 

 

-0.5%
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance

 

 

(126)

 

 

-0.5%

 

 

(165)

 

 

-0.7%

Nondeductible interest and other expense

 

 

20

 

 

 

0.1%

 

 

24

 

 

 

0.1%
Other

 

 

44

 

 

 

0.2%

 

 

0

 

 

 

0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest received related to tax position

 

 

-

 

 

 

0.0%

 

 

(260)

 

 

-1.2%
Other

 

 

77

 

 

 

0.3%

 

 

68

 

 

 

0.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total income tax expenses

 

$6,020

 

 

 

23.3%

 

 

4,576

 

 

 

21.9%

 

State taxes in North Carolina made up the majority (greater than 50%) of the tax effect in the table above.

 

The following summarizes the tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities. The net deferred tax asset is included as a component of other assets at December 31, 2025 and 2024.

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowance for credit losses

 

$2,603

 

 

 

2,485

 

Accrued retirement expense

 

 

1,251

 

 

 

1,215

 

Other real estate

 

 

7

 

 

 

-

 

Restricted stock

 

 

238

 

 

 

238

 

Interest income on nonaccrual loans

 

 

2

 

 

 

4

 

Lease liability

 

 

816

 

 

 

926

 

Unrealized loss on available for sale securities

 

 

7,649

 

 

 

11,412

 

Total gross deferred tax assets

 

 

12,566

 

 

 

16,280

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred loan fees

 

 

103

 

 

 

160

 

Accumulated depreciation

 

 

956

 

 

 

375

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

379

 

 

 

296

 

ROU Asset

 

 

786

 

 

 

899

 

Other

 

 

99

 

 

 

259

 

Total gross deferred tax liabilities

 

 

2,323

 

 

 

1,989

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net deferred tax asset

 

$10,243

 

 

 

14,291

 

The following table presents cash paid for federal and state income taxes net of refunds:

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$4,350

 

 

 

3,788

 

State:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Carolina

 

 

446

 

 

 

673

 

Other

 

 

67

 

 

 

77

 

Total State

 

 

513

 

 

 

750

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total income taxes paid, net of refunds received

 

$4,863

 

 

 

4,538

 

 

The Company has analyzed the tax positions taken or expected to be taken in its tax returns and has concluded that it has no liability related to uncertain tax positions.

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s Federal income tax filings for years 2022 through 2024 are open to examination by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company’s North Carolina income tax returns for years 2022 through 2024 are open to examination by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 11, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 12, 2025
2023Mar 7, 2024
2022Mar 17, 2023

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.