Income Taxes

We are not a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes. As such, we do not directly pay federal income taxes. Other than with respect to our corporate subsidiaries and the Texas Margin Tax, our taxable income or loss is includible in the federal income tax returns of each of our partners.

A few of our operations are owned by wholly-owned corporate subsidiaries that are taxable as corporations. We pay federal and state income taxes on these operations.

Our income tax (benefit) expense is as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
Current:
Federal	$	—	$	—	$	345
State	1,200		1,100		650
Total current income tax expense (benefit)	$	1,200	$	1,100	$	995
Deferred:
Federal	$	2,478	$	1,508	$	(248	)
State	309		237		98
Total deferred income tax expense (benefit)	$	2,787	$	1,745	$	(150	)
Total income tax expense from continuing operations ⁽¹⁾	$	3,987	$	2,845	$	845


(1)	Our discontinued operations had no income tax benefit or expense in any period presented.

Deferred income taxes relate to temporary differences based on tax laws and statutory rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following:



	December 31,
	2015			2014
Deferred tax assets:
Current:
Other current assets	$	—		$	262
Other	—			8
Total current deferred tax asset	—			270
Net operating loss carryforwards	9,542			9,048
Total long-term deferred tax asset	9,542			9,048
Valuation allowances	(787		)	(737		)
Total deferred tax assets	$	8,755		$	8,581
Deferred tax liabilities:
Current:
Other	$	—		$	(871	)
Long-term:
Fixed assets	(4,384		)	(4,335		)
Intangible assets	(17,473		)	(14,419		)
Other	(729		)	—
Total long-term liability	(22,586		)	(18,754		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	$	(22,586	)	$	(19,625	)
Total net deferred tax liability	$	(13,831	)	$	(11,044	)

We record a valuation allowance when 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 depends on the ability to generate sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character in the future and in the appropriate taxing jurisdictions.

Our income tax expense (benefit) varies from the amount that would result from applying the federal statutory income tax rate to income from continuing operations before income taxes as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	425,572		$	109,047		$	84,849
Partnership income not subject to tax	(418,500		)	(104,751		)	(85,567		)
Income (loss) subject to income taxes	$	7,072		$	4,296		$	(718	)
Tax expense (benefit) at federal statutory rate	$	2,475		$	1,504		$	(251	)
State income taxes, net of federal tax	928			992			660
Effects of unrecognized tax positions, federal and state	—			—			—
Return to provision, federal and state	(193		)	(232		)	88
Other	777			581			348
Income tax expense (benefit)	$	3,987		$	2,845		$	845
Effective tax rate on income from continuing operations before income taxes	1		%	3		%	1		%

At December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, we had no uncertain tax positions.