17.Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes consists of the following for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017:



(In thousands)		2018		2017
Current Tax expense/(benefit):
Federal	$	675	$	(2,803)
State		751		491
	$	1,426	$	(2,312)
Deferred tax expense/(benefit):
Federal	$	1,278	$	6,038
State		60		(7)
Tax Reform impact		0		3,226
	$	1,338	$	9,257
Income tax expense for the year	$	2,764	$	6,945

The reconciliation between the statutory federal income tax rate and effective income tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 is as follows:



	2018	2017
Federal statutory rate	21.0%	35.0%
Tax-exempt income on securities and loans	(1.6)	(2.8)
Tax-exempt BOLI income	(1.8)	(3.4)
State income tax, net of federal tax benefit	4.9	4.7
Tax credits	(2.1)	(3.4)
Tax Reform impact	0.0	26.4
Other	0.2	0.3
	20.6%	56.8%

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Corporation’s temporary differences as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:



(In thousands)		2018		2017
Deferred tax assets:
Allowance for loan losses	$	2,994	$	2,695
Deferred loan fees		163		126
Deferred compensation		740		666
Federal and state tax loss carry forwards		2,537		3,370
Tax credit carry forwards		2,606		2,525
Unrealized loss on investment securities		2,193		2,429
Pension/SERP		1,811		1,485
Other than temporary impairment on investment securities		717		800
Other real estate owned		539		741
Other		(97)		78
Total deferred tax assets		14,203		14,915
Valuation allowance		(2,449)		(2,380)
Total deferred tax assets less valuation allowance		11,754		12,535
Deferred tax liabilities:
Amortization of goodwill		(2,537)		(2,424)
Depreciation		(1,244)		(690)
Other		(129)		(169)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(3,910)		(3,283)
Net deferred tax assets	$	7,844	$	9,252

In assessing the ability to realize deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of the deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income of the appropriate character (for example, ordinary income or capital gain) within the carry-back or carry-forward period available under the tax law during the periods in which temporary differences are deductible. The Corporation has considered future market growth, forecasted earnings, future taxable income, and feasible and permissible tax planning strategies in determining whether it will be able to realize the deferred tax asset. If the Corporation were to determine that it will not be able to realize a portion of its net deferred tax asset in the future for which there is currently no valuation allowance, an adjustment to the net deferred tax asset would be charged to earnings in the period such determination was made. Conversely, if the Corporation were to make a determination that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets for which there is a valuation allowance will be realized, the related valuation allowance would be reduced and a benefit would be recorded.

At December 31, 2018, the Corporation had West Virginia net operating losses (“NOLs”) of approximately $1.7 million for which deferred tax assets $.1 million, have been recorded. West Virginia NOLs were created in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 and will begin to expire in 2022. Management has determined that a deferred tax valuation allowance for these NOLs is not required for 2018 because management believes it is more likely than not (defined a level of likelihood that is more than 50%) that these deferred tax assets will be realized prior to the expiration of their carry-forward periods.

At December 31, 2018, the Corporation had Maryland NOLs of $40.1 million for which a deferred tax asset of $2.4 million has been recorded. There has been and continues to be a full valuation allowance on these NOLs based on the fact that management’s belief that it is more likely than not that these NOLs will not be realized prior to the expiration of their carry-forward periods because the Corporation files a separate Maryland income tax return, the Corporation has recurring state tax losses, and management believes the Corporation will not generate sufficient state taxable income in the future to fully utilize the NOLs. The valuation allowance was $2.4 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was enacted on December 22, 2017 and, among things, reduces the U.S. federal income tax rate for C Corporations from 35% to 21%.

As described below, the Corporation has made a reasonable estimate of the effects on its existing net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2017. The Corporation revalued all of its deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the rates at which they are expected to reverse in the future. The Corporation recognized a tax expense of $3.2 million in its tax provision for the year ended December 31, 2017 as a result of adjusting its deferred tax balance to reflect the new corporate income tax rate.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities related to available for sale securities gains/(losses), pension and SERP, and interest rate SWAPs that were evaluated as of December 31, 2017 noted above created a “stranded tax effect” in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (“AOCL”) due to the enactment of the Tax Act. The issue arose due to the nature of GAAP recognition of tax rate change effects on the AFS (DTA/DTL) revaluation as an adjustment to income tax provision. In February 2018, FASB issued ASU 2018-02 – Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220). The Corporation early adopted the provisions of ASU 2018-02 and recorded a one-time reclassification of $4.4 million from AOCL to retained earnings for the stranded tax effects resulting from the newly enacted tax rate. The amount of the reclassification was the difference between the 35 percent historical corporate tax rate and the newly enacted 21 percent corporate tax rate. See Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for details of the reclassification.