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Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
10. Income Taxes:
The provision for income taxes attributable to continuing operations is based upon income (loss) before income taxes from continuing operations as follows (in thousands):
 
Year ended 31 December
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
Domestic
$
(13,614
)
 
$
(13,782
)
 
$
(31,730
)
Foreign
652

 
1,111

 
719

 
$
(12,962
)
 
$
(12,671
)
 
$
(31,011
)

The provision for income taxes consists of the following (in thousands):
 
Year ended 31 December
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
Federal:
 
 
 
 
 
Current
$

 
$

 
$

Deferred

 

 

Total federal provision

 

 

State:
 
 
 
 
 
Current
5

 
4

 
4

Deferred

 

 

Total state provision
5

 
4

 
4

Foreign:
 
 
 
 
 
Current
214

 
325

 
297

Deferred

 

 

Total foreign provision
214

 
325

 
297

Total income tax expense (benefit)
$
219

 
$
329

 
$
301



The provision for income taxes differs from the amount estimated by applying the statutory Federal income tax rate to income before taxes as follows (in thousands):
 
Year ended 31 December
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
Federal tax at statutory rate of 35%
$
(4,537
)
 
$
(4,435
)
 
$
(10,854
)
State taxes, net of federal benefit
5

 
3

 
2

U.S.-Foreign rate differential
87

 
(46
)
 
42

Change in Valuation Allowance
4,530

 
4,825

 
11,136

Others
134

 
(18
)
 
(25
)
Total income tax expense
$
219

 
$
329

 
$
301



As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, a valuation allowance has been recorded against 100% of gross deferred tax assets as a result of uncertainties regarding the realization of the asset balance. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Company had no significant deferred tax liabilities. The components of the net deferred income tax asset are as follows (in thousands):
 
Year ended 31 December
 
2012
 
2011
Net operating loss carry forwards
$
55,669

 
$
53,477

Tax credit carry forwards
24,826

 
19,902

Fixed and intangible assets
7,486

 
7,501

Capitalized research and development costs
58

 
37

Reserves and other cumulative temporary differences
20,910

 
22,878

Gross deferred income tax assets
108,949

 
103,795

Valuation allowance
(108,949
)
 
(103,795
)
Net deferred income tax assets
$

 
$



As of December 31, 2012, part of the Company's valuation allowance on deferred tax assets pertains to certain tax credits and net operating loss carry forwards. In the future, we will reduce the valuation allowance associated with these credits and losses upon the earlier of the period in which we utilize them to reduce the amount of income tax we would otherwise be required to pay on our income tax returns, or when it becomes more likely than not that the deferred tax assets are realizable. In addition, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, contains provisions that limit the net operating loss and credit carryforwards available for use in any given period upon the occurrence of certain events, including a significant change in ownership interests. The Company performed an analysis of the ownership changes in 2001. Since that time, some ownership changes may have occurred, which could cause certain of the Company's net operating loss and credit carryforwards to be limited in future periods.
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards of $184.4 million for federal income tax reporting purposes and $75.0 million for state income tax reporting purposes, which expire at various dates through 2031. Of these amounts, a significant portion represents federal and state tax deductions from stock-based compensation. The tax benefit from these deductions will be recorded as an adjustment to additional paid-in capital in the year in which the benefit is realized. In addition, as of December 31, 2012, the Company had approximately $10.3 million and $14.4 million of tax credit carryforwards for increased research expenditures for federal and California purposes, respectively. The federal research tax credits will expire at various dates if not utilized by 2032 and the state tax credit can be carried over indefinitely. In accordance with current Internal Revenue Code rules, federal net operating loss carryforwards must be utilized in full before federal research and development tax credits can be used to offset current tax liabilities. As a result, depending on the Company's future taxable income in any given year, some or all of the federal increased research tax credits, as well as portions of the Company's federal and state net operating loss carryforwards, may expire before being utilized.
Amounts held by foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to United States income taxation on repatriation to the United States. The Company currently intends to permanently reinvest its undistributed earnings from its foreign subsidiaries outside the United States and United States income taxes have not been provided on cumulative total earnings of $9.7 million. It is not practicable to determine the income tax liability that might be incurred if these earnings were to be distributed.

The following is a rollforward of the Company's uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):
 
Year ended 31 December
 
2012
 
2011
Balance as of the beginning of the year
$
4,355

 
$
4,537

Tax positions related to current year:
 
 
 
Additions
80

 
241

Reductions

 

Tax positions related to prior years:
 
 
 
Additions

 
167

Reductions
(405
)
 

Settlements

 

Lapses in statute of limitations
(648
)
 
(590
)
Balance as of the end of the year
$
3,382

 
$
4,355



Included in the balance of total unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2012 are potential benefits of $670,000, which if recognized, would affect the effective rate on income from continuing operations.
On December 31, 2012, the Company had accrued interest and penalties related to the uncertain tax benefits of approximately $140,000. During 2012, the Company decreased the prior year balance by $71,000 due to both lapses in statute and change of methodology.
The Company is subject to taxation in the United States and various state and foreign jurisdictions. In the United States, the tax years from 1993 remain open to examination by federal and most state tax authorities due to certain net operating loss and credit carryforward positions. In the foreign jurisdictions, the number of tax years open to examination by local tax authorities ranges from three to six years.
On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law “The Tax Relief, Unemployment Reinsurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.” Among many other tax initiatives, the new law extends the 50% bonus depreciation on eligible property through December 31, 2012 and allows for 100% bonus depreciation on eligible property from September 9, 2010 through December 31, 2011. In addition, the federal credit for increased research expenditures has been extended for two years retroactive to January 1, 2010. As the Company anticipates it will continue to be in a tax loss position for 2012, it will forego the bonus depreciation in its U.S. tax filings for the year ended December 31, 2012.