INCOME TAXES

Farmer Mac is subject to federal corporate income taxes but is exempt from state and local corporate income taxes. The components of the federal corporate income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 were as follows:

Table 10.1



	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2018		2017		2016
	(in thousands)
Current income tax expense	$	25,317	$	43,148	$	37,954
Deferred income tax expense	2,625		3,221		4,103
Income tax expense	$	27,942	$	46,369	$	42,057

A reconciliation of income tax at the statutory federal corporate income tax rate to the income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 is as follows:

Table 10.2



	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2018			2017			2016
	(dollars in thousands)
Tax expense at statutory rate	$	28,564		$	45,740		$	41,775
Re-measurement of net deferred tax asset due to enactment of new tax legislation	—			1,365			—
Excess tax benefits related to stock-based awards	(946		)	(860		)	—
Valuation allowance	—			4			21
Other	324			120			261
Income tax expense	$	27,942		$	46,369		$	42,057
Statutory tax rate	21.0		%	35.0		%	35.0		%

The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:

Table 10.3



	As of December 31,
	2018			2017
	(in thousands)
Deferred tax assets:
Basis differences related to financial derivatives	$	7,614		$	6,800
Basis differences related to hedged items	1,810			5,661
Allowance for losses	1,929			1,862
Compensation and Benefits	967			778
Stock-based compensation	623			532
Capital loss carryforwards and other-than-temporary impairment	36			36
Valuation allowance	(36		)	(36		)
Other	121			74
Total deferred tax assets	13,064			15,707
Deferred tax liability:
Unrealized gains on securities	4,807			12,376
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	1,827			1,203
Other	61			80
Total deferred tax liability	6,695			13,659
Net deferred tax asset	$	6,369		$	2,048

A valuation allowance is required to reduce a deferred tax asset to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Future realization of the tax benefit from a deferred tax asset depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character. After the evaluation of both positive and negative objective evidence regarding the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be realized, Farmer Mac established a valuation allowance of $36,000 as of both December 31, 2018 and 2017, which was attributable to capital loss carryforwards on investment securities. Farmer Mac did not establish a valuation allowance for the remainder of its deferred tax assets because it believes it is more likely than not that those deferred tax assets will be realized. In determining its deferred tax asset valuation allowance, Farmer Mac considered its taxable income of the appropriate character (for example, ordinary income or capital gain) within the carryback and carryforward periods available under the tax law and the impact of possible tax planning strategies. As of December 31, 2018, no capital loss carryforwards expired. As of December 31, 2018, the amount of capital loss carryforwards was $0.2 million. These capital loss carryforwards will expire in 2021.

Deferred tax assets are measured at rates in effect when they arise. To the extent rates change, the deferred tax asset will be adjusted to reflect the new rate. A reduction in corporate tax rates would result in a reduction in the value of the deferred tax asset. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was enacted on December 22, 2017. This new legislation provides for significant changes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that was in effect through the end of 2017 and includes a reduction of the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, which became effective January 1, 2018. As a result of this reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate, Farmer Mac re-measured its net deferred tax asset at the newly enacted 21% federal corporate income tax rate and thus reduced its value by $1.4 million. Accordingly, Farmer Mac recorded an increase to income tax expense of $1.4 million, or an increase of 1.04%, in Farmer Mac's effective tax rate for 2017.

As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, Farmer Mac did not identify any uncertain tax positions.

Farmer Mac did not incur unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

Tax years 2016 through 2018 remain subject to examination.