XML 33 R21.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.21.2
Income Taxes
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
The Company’s tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of the Company’s annual effective tax rate adjusted for discrete interim period tax impacts. Each quarter the Company updates its estimated annual effective tax rate and, if the estimate changes, makes a cumulative adjustment. The Company’s effective tax rate was 9.1% and 26.7% for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively and 9.5% and 37.1% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company’s decreased rate during the three months and six months ended June 30, 2021 is primarily due to the recognition of a deferred tax asset from the impairment of the B2B Backup business unit and a discrete tax benefit recognized related to a reduction in our net reserve for uncertain tax positions with no similar events for the period ending June 30, 2020. Income (loss) before income taxes included income from domestic operations of $5.8 million and $(2.5) million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and income from foreign operations of $77.2 million and $69.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

As of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had $53.5 million and $57.1 million, respectively, in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in income tax expense on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

Cash paid for income taxes net of refunds received was $37.3 million and $8.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Certain taxes are prepaid during the year and, where appropriate, included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company’s prepaid taxes were zero and $3.0 million at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Income Tax Audits:

The Company is in various stages of audit by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for its 2012 through 2016 tax years. On February 24, 2021, the Company received a Notice of Deficiency for tax years 2012 through 2014 which disallowed certain deductions for domestic production. The Company disagrees with the Notice and filed a petition to appeal on May 24, 2021. As of June 30, 2021, the audits are ongoing. Subsequent to June 30, 2021, the Company paid a previously settled amount
for certain tax issues in connection with tax years 2015 and 2016. The amount paid was within the reserve established for this matter.

J2 Global is under income tax audit by the California Franchise Tax Board (the “FTB”) for its tax years 2012 and 2013. The FTB, however, has suspended its audit for 2012 and 2013 pending the outcome of the IRS audit for such tax years. In August 2018, the FTB notified the Company that it will commence an audit of tax years 2015 and 2016. As of June 30, 2021, the audits are ongoing.

In June 2019, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (“NYS”) notified the Company that it will commence an audit for tax year 2015. In April 2020, the NYS notified the Company that it will also commence an audit for tax years 2016 and 2017. As of June 30, 2021, the audits are ongoing.

It is reasonably possible that these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the uncertain tax positions the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are inadequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record additional tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are adequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record any excess as a reduction in tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change.