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Income Taxes
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

F.         Income Taxes

 

The Company estimates an annual effective income tax rate based on projected results for the year and applies this rate to income before taxes to calculate income tax expense.  Any refinements made due to subsequent information that affects the estimated annual effective income tax rate are reflected as adjustments in the current period.

 

The Company’s effective income tax rate for the three months ending March 31, 2012 is 38.3%.  The estimated annual effective income tax rate as of March 31, 2011 was 37.1%.  The Company currently estimates the 2012 annual effective income tax rate to be approximately 35.6%.  The decrease in the expected annual effective tax rate from 2011 is primarily attributable to a decrease in state taxes as a result of lower pre-tax income on state tax paying entities in 2012. The difference between the annual effective tax rate projected for 2012 and the effective tax rate for the three months ending March 31, 2012 is related to state net operating loss adjustments.

 

There were no material changes to the Company’s methodology for unrecognized tax benefits during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

 

During the second quarter of 2011, the Company finalized a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relating to its research and experimentation tax credits claimed from 2001 to 2005.  Except for claims related to tax losses for those years, the consolidated federal income tax liability of the Company has been settled with the IRS through 2005.  The Company is currently under audit for the 2006 to 2009 periods.  The examination of these periods began in the second quarter of 2010. The Company also is the subject of various state income tax examinations.  The Company believes that it is appropriately reserved for any uncertain tax positions.

 

In December 2011, the IRS issued temporary and proposed regulations related to costs incurred in years beginning after 2011 for the repair or replacement of tangible personal property.  The Company is still evaluating the impact of these proposed regulations, but does not expect them to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.