Note 14. Income Taxes

The Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return. The Company files consolidated or separate state income tax returns as required by individual states in which it operates. The Company is generally no longer subject to federal, state, or local income tax examinations by taxing authorities before 2021.

Income tax expense attributable to total income before income taxes consists of the following for the periods indicated:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

Dollars in thousands

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

444

 

 

$

7,886

 

 

$

3,567

 

State and local

 

 

273

 

 

 

724

 

 

 

1,146

 

 

 

717

 

 

 

8,610

 

 

 

4,713

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

12,106

 

 

 

3,821

 

 

 

289

 

State and local

 

 

542

 

 

 

417

 

 

 

(177

)

 

 

12,648

 

 

 

4,238

 

 

 

112

 

Total

 

$

13,365

 

 

$

12,848

 

 

$

4,825

 

 

Income tax expense differed from the amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate to total income before income taxes as a result of the following:

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

2025

 

2024

 

2023

 

Dollars in thousands

$

 

%

 

$

 

%

 

$

 

%

 

Federal tax expense at statutory rate

$

12,133

 

 

21.0

%

$

11,356

 

 

21.0

%

$

4,364

 

 

21.0

%

Increase (reduction) in income taxes resulting from:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

870

 

 

1.5

%

 

943

 

 

1.7

%

 

399

 

 

1.9

%

Tax credits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

(749

)

 

(1.3

)%

 

(999

)

 

(1.8

)%

 

(1,550

)

 

(7.5

)%

Other

 

(55

)

 

(0.1

)%

 

(257

)

 

(0.5

)%

 

(201

)

 

(1.0

)%

Nontaxable or nondeductible items:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nondeductible compensation

 

1,240

 

 

2.1

%

 

1,334

 

 

2.5

%

 

1,106

 

 

5.3

%

Other

 

128

 

 

0.2

%

 

201

 

 

0.4

%

 

113

 

 

0.5

%

Unrecognized tax benefits

 

120

 

 

0.2

%

 

324

 

 

0.6

%

 

382

 

 

1.8

%

Other adjustments

 

(322

)

 

(0.5

)%

 

(54

)

 

(0.1

)%

 

212

 

 

1.2

%

Total

$

13,365

 

 

23.1

%

$

12,848

 

 

23.8

%

$

4,825

 

 

23.2

%

(1) In 2025, Texas, Illinois, and Virginia made up the majority of the tax effect in this category. In 2024, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina made up the majority of the tax effect in this category. In 2023, Texas made up the majority of the tax effect in this category.

Income taxes paid (net of refunds) consisted of the following jurisdictions for the periods indicated:

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

Dollars in thousands

2025

 

2024

 

2023

 

Federal

$

5,670

 

$

2,870

 

$

1,020

 

State:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas

 

579

 

 

661

 

 

320

 

South Carolina

 

151

 

 

(574

)

 

 

Illinois

 

72

 

 

137

 

 

132

 

Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

271

 

North Carolina

 

(67

)

 

(194

)

 

416

 

Alabama

 

(72

)

 

(161

)

 

603

 

Other

 

(222

)

 

(5

)

 

288

 

 

441

 

 

(136

)

 

2,030

 

Total

$

6,111

 

$

2,734

 

$

3,050

 

 

Net deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following as of the periods indicated:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

Dollars in thousands

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowance for credit losses

 

$

52,488

 

 

$

47,296

 

Lease liability

 

 

11,022

 

 

 

9,716

 

Unearned insurance commissions

 

 

8,522

 

 

 

7,760

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

2,843

 

 

 

3,011

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

2,414

 

 

 

2,444

 

State net operating loss carryforward

 

 

2,177

 

 

 

1,638

 

Research and experimental expenditures

 

 

 

 

 

4,408

 

Unearned premium reserves

 

 

 

 

 

234

 

Other

 

 

462

 

 

 

59

 

Deferred tax assets

 

 

79,928

 

 

 

76,566

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair market value adjustment of net finance receivables

 

 

60,313

 

 

 

49,942

 

Lease assets

 

 

10,510

 

 

 

9,207

 

Deferred loan costs

 

 

5,215

 

 

 

4,162

 

Depreciation and software amortization

 

 

3,733

 

 

 

2,580

 

Research and experimental expenditures

 

 

1,995

 

 

 

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

1,375

 

 

 

1,305

 

Unearned premium reserves

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

119

 

 

 

84

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

83,273

 

 

 

67,280

 

Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net

 

$

(3,345

)

 

$

9,286

 

The Company had a state net operating loss carryforward of approximately $66.0 million as of December 31, 2025. These carryforwards are available to offset future taxable income. If not used, the carryforward will expire beginning in 2032.

Companies are not permitted to recognize the tax benefit attributable to a tax position unless such position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities, based solely on the technical merits of the position. At December 31, 2025, the Company had $1.0 million of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in the income tax line of the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The Company recognized approximately $42 thousand, $0.1 million, and $0.1 million of interest and penalties for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

The following schedule reconciles unrecognized tax positions for the periods indicated:

 

 

 

As of and for the Year Ended December 31,

 

Dollars in thousands

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Beginning balance

 

$

984

 

 

$

733

 

 

$

414

 

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year

 

 

206

 

 

 

247

 

 

 

268

 

Additions for tax positions of prior years

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

51

 

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

 

 

(175

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ending balance

 

$

1,015

 

 

$

984

 

 

$

733

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 20, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 21, 2025
2023Feb 22, 2024
2022Feb 24, 2023
2021Mar 4, 2022
2015Feb 23, 2016

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.