10. Income Taxes

Our provision for income taxes is based on estimated effective tax rates derived from an estimate of annual consolidated earnings before taxes, adjusted for nondeductible expenses, other permanent items and any applicable credits.

The following table presents the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rates (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	September 26,		September 27,		September 26,		September 27,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Income before income taxes	$	42,983	$	3,409	$	92,481	$	19,358
Provision for income taxes	$	8,103	$	2,557	$	24,247	$	8,258
Effective tax rate		18.9%		75.0%		26.2%		42.7%

Our income tax expense for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal year 2016 was below the federal statutory rate primarily due to a one-time tax benefit of $4.6 million associated with deferred taxes related to R&D credit carry forwards, along with an increase in income in certain foreign jurisdictions taxed below the federal statutory rate. Our income tax expense for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal year 2015 was above the federal statutory rate primarily due to the inclusion of foreign losses in the period from the close of the Acquisition to the end of the quarter at foreign statutory rates below the U.S. federal statutory rate.

We record unrecognized tax benefits for the estimated risk associated with tax positions taken on tax returns. The unrecognized tax benefits balance was $8.8 million as of September 26, 2015.

We accrue interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of the provision for income taxes. As of September 26, 2015, the balance of accrued interest and penalties was zero. No interest or penalties were incurred during the first six months of fiscal year 2016 or 2015.

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax in multiple state and foreign jurisdictions. Fiscal years 2012 through 2015 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions to which we are subject, although carry forward attributes that were generated in tax years prior to fiscal year 2012 may be adjusted upon examination by the tax authorities if they have been, or will be, used in a future period. The Company is not currently under an income tax audit in any major taxing jurisdiction.