GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill

Changes in the carrying value of goodwill by segment were as follows (in thousands):



December 31, 2018	U.S. operations segment			Latin America operations segment			Total
Balance, beginning of year	$	743,997		$	87,148		$	831,145
Acquisitions (see Note 3)	15,541			71,427			86,968
Effect of foreign currency translation	—			(694		)	(694		)
Balance, end of year	$	759,538		$	157,881		$	917,419

December 31, 2017
Balance, beginning of year	$	746,204		$	84,947		$	831,151
Acquisitions (see Note 3)	414			140			554
Effect of foreign currency translation	—			2,061			2,061
Other adjustments	(2,621		)	—			(2,621		)
Balance, end of year	$	743,997		$	87,148		$	831,145

The Company performed its annual assessment of goodwill and determined there was no impairment as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

Definite-Lived Intangible Assets

The following table summarizes the components of gross and net definite-lived intangible assets subject to amortization (in thousands):



	As of December 31,
	2018							2017
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
Customer relationships	$	25,453	$	(18,955	)	$	6,498	$	24,533	$	(15,256	)	$	9,277
Executive non-compete agreements	8,700		(8,700		)	—		8,700		(5,800		)	2,900
	$	34,153	$	(27,655	)	$	6,498	$	33,233	$	(21,056	)	$	12,177

The customer relationships are generally amortized using an accelerated amortization method that reflects the future cash flows expected from the returning pawn customers. The executive non-compete agreements were amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the executive non-compete agreements and are fully amortized as of December 31, 2018.

Amortization expense for definite-lived intangible assets was $6.6 million, $10.7 million and $5.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The remaining weighted-average amortization period for customer relationships is 1.4 years. Estimated future amortization expense is as follows (in thousands):



Fiscal
2019	$	2,774
2020	2,236
2021	1,185
2022	184
2023	119
	$	6,498

Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

The Company performed its annual assessment of indefinite-lived intangible assets and determined there was no impairment as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. Indefinite-lived intangible assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, consist of the following (in thousands):



	As of December 31,
	2018		2017
Trade names	$	46,300	$	46,300
Pawn licenses ⁽¹⁾	34,092		34,092
Other indefinite-lived intangibles	1,250		1,250
	$	81,642	$	81,642


⁽¹⁾	Costs to renew licenses with indefinite lives are expensed as incurred and recorded in store operating expenses in the consolidated statements of income.