8.   Income Taxes

The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:

Years Ended December 31, 

 

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

 

Current expense:

Federal

$

433

$

(1)

State

 

365

 

265

Total current expense

 

798

 

264

Deferred expense:

 

  ​

 

  ​

Federal

 

1,842

 

(2,581)

State

527

(738)

Change in valuation allowance

(527)

738

Total deferred expense

1,842

(2,581)

Total provision for income taxes

$

2,640

$

(2,317)

The following is a reconciliation between the expected federal statutory income tax rate of 21% and the Company’s actual income tax expense and rate:

Years ended December 31, 

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

Provision (benefit) at U.S. federal statutory tax rate

$

2,664

21.00

%  

$

(2,297)

21.00

%

State and local income taxes, net of federal income tax effect(1)

 

799

 

6.30

%  

 

(523)

 

4.78

%

Changes in valuation allowances

 

(527)

 

(4.15)

%  

 

737

 

(6.74)

%

Nontaxable or nondeductible Items

Tax exempt income

(165)

(1.30)

%  

(248)

2.27

%  

Equity based

(163)

(1.28)

%  

0.00

%  

Other

32

0.25

%  

12

(0.11)

%  

Effective income tax and rate

$

2,640

 

20.81

%  

$

(2,317)

 

21.18

%

(1)State taxes in New York made up the majority (greater than 50 percent) of the tax effect in this category

Provision for income taxes directly reflects the expected tax associated with the pre-tax income generated for the given year and certain regulatory requirements.  The statutory tax rate is impacted by the benefits derived mainly from tax-exempt bond income and income received on the bank owned life insurance to arrive at the effective tax rate.

The following table presents cash paid for federal and state income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.

Years Ended December 31, 

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

Cash paid for federal income taxes

$

257

$

599

Cash paid for New York State income taxes

346

275

Total cash paid for income taxes

$

603

$

874

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant components of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2025 and 2024 are presented below:

December 31, 

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

Deferred tax assets:

  ​

Allowance for credit losses

$

2,296

$

2,371

Deferred expenses

 

27

 

21

Deferred compensation

1,860

1,773

Unrecognized pension liability

 

446

 

653

Postretirement liability

 

1,057

 

1,032

Deferred loan fees

5

Unrealized loss on securities

 

1,663

 

2,786

Federal tax net operating loss carryforward

 

354

 

2,538

Other

 

670

 

889

Gross deferred tax assets

 

8,378

 

12,063

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

  ​

 

  ​

Prepaid expenses

 

(623)

 

(578)

Prepaid pension

 

(1,165)

 

(1,180)

Deferred loan fees

 

 

(51)

Depreciation and amortization

 

(482)

 

(374)

Mortgage servicing rights

 

(341)

 

(430)

Other

 

(17)

 

Gross deferred tax liabilities

 

(2,628)

 

(2,613)

Net deferred tax asset

 

5,750

 

9,450

Deferred tax valuation allowance

 

(809)

 

(1,336)

Deferred tax assets, net of allowance

$

4,941

$

8,114

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has a federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforward of $1,311, which carries forward indefinitely under current tax regulations. This NOL resulted in a deferred tax asset of $354, representing a temporary difference in the Company’s financial statements. The realization of this deferred tax asset depends on the Company’s ability to generate sufficient future taxable income.

New York State (“NYS”) tax law provides for a permanent deduction of income from “qualified” loans for community banks. Accordingly, the Company has generally incurred NYS taxable losses and incurred minimal NYS income tax liability. As the Company has not established a history of strong NYS taxable income, the Company has established a full valuation allowance against the NYS deferred tax asset. Based on management’s assessment of projected earnings and other relevant factors, the Company has recorded a deferred tax valuation allowance of $809 as of December 31, 2025, compared to $1,336 of December 31, 2024. The decrease in the valuation allowance reflects management’s evaluation of the likelihood of utilizing certain deferred tax assets in future periods.

Retained earnings at December 31, 2025 and 2024 include a contingency reserve for loan losses of $1,534, which represents the tax reserve balance existing at December 31, 1987 and is maintained in accordance with provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to mutual savings banks. Amounts transferred to the reserve have been claimed as deductions from taxable income and, if the reserve is used for purposes other than to absorb losses on loans, a federal income tax liability could be incurred. It is not anticipated that the Company will incur a federal income tax liability relating to this reserve balance and accordingly, deferred income taxes of $414 at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 have not been recognized.

The Company’s income tax returns are subject to review and examination by federal and state taxing authorities. The Company is currently open to audit under the applicable statutes of limitations by the Internal Revenue Service for the years ended December 31, 2022 through 2025. The years open to examination by state taxing authorities vary by jurisdiction; no years prior to 2022 are open.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has no unrecognized tax benefits.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 13, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 25, 2025
2023Mar 26, 2024
2022Mar 23, 2023
2021Mar 22, 2022
2020Mar 25, 2021
2019Mar 26, 2020
2018Mar 29, 2019

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.