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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes:
The Company follows the guidance of FASB ASC Topic 740 "Income Taxes" ("ASC 740") as it relates to the provision for income taxes and uncertainty in income taxes. The guidance prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
For tax purposes, the Company utilizes the cost recovery method of accounting. Under the cost recovery method, collections on finance receivables are applied first to principal to reduce the finance receivables to zero before taxable income is recognized. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") examined the Company's 2005 through 2012 tax returns and has asserted that tax revenue recognition using the cost recovery method does not clearly reflect taxable income. The Company believes it has sufficient support for the technical merits of its position, and believes cost recovery to be an acceptable tax revenue recognition method for companies in the bad debt purchasing industry. The IRS has issued Notices of Deficiency to the Company for tax years ended December 31, 2005 through 2012.  The proposed deficiencies relate to the cost recovery method of tax accounting. In response to the notices, the Company filed petitions in the United States Tax Court. On April 30, 2015, a Joint Motion for Continuance was filed by the Company and the IRS. The Tax Court granted the Motion on May 4, 2015. If the Company is unsuccessful in Tax Court, it can appeal to the federal Circuit Court of Appeals. See Note 10 “Commitments and Contingencies” for more information.
At March 31, 2015, the tax years subject to examination by the major federal, state or international taxing jurisdictions are 2003, 2005 and subsequent years. The 2003 tax year remains open to examination because of a net operating loss that originated in that year but was not fully utilized until the 2005 tax year. The examination periods for the 2005 through 2012 tax years are suspended until a decision of the Tax Court becomes final.
ASC 740 requires the recognition of interest if the tax law would require interest to be paid on the underpayment of taxes, and recognition of penalties if a tax position does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties.  The Company believes it has sufficient support for the technical merits of its position and that it is more likely than not this position will be sustained. Accordingly, the Company has not accrued for interest or penalties on any of its tax positions, including the cost recovery matter.