NOTE 13: INCOME TAXES

Deferred taxes are recognized for temporary differences between the basis of assets and liabilities for financial statement and income tax purposes. The differences relate primarily to depreciable assets using accelerated depreciation methods for income tax purposes, share-based compensation expense, and for net operating loss carryforwards. As of December 31, 2022, and 2021, the Company had net deferred tax assets before valuation allowance of $16,733,582 and $13,103,268, respectively. The following table presents the deferred tax assets and liabilities by source:

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The Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that it believes that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. The Company assessed the need for a valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets and determined a full valuation allowance is required due, cumulative losses through December 31, 2022, and no history of generating taxable income. Therefore, valuation allowances of $16,733,582 and $13,103,268 were recorded as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Valuation allowance increased by $3,630,314 and $3,081,497 during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Deferred tax assets were calculated using the Company’s combined effective tax rate, which it estimated to be approximately 28.0%. The effective rate is reduced to 0% for 2022 and 2021 due to the full valuation allowance on its net deferred tax assets. The Company has permanent differences, consisting of non-deductible impairments of goodwill and intangible assets of $17.7 million and amortization of non-cash debt issuance costs of $6.5 million.

The Company’s ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards will depend on its ability to generate adequate future taxable income. At December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards available to offset future taxable income in the amounts of approximately $59,865,000 and $46,896,000, for which losses from 2018 forward can be carried forward indefinitely.

As a result of prior operating losses, the Company has net operating loss, or “NOL,” carryforwards for federal income tax purposes. The ability to utilize NOL carryforwards to reduce taxable income in future years could become subject to significant limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code if the Company undergoes an ownership change. The Company would undergo an ownership change if, among other things, the stockholders who own, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of our common stock, or are otherwise treated as “5% shareholders” under Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, increase their aggregate percentage ownership of the Company’s stock by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of the stock owned by these stockholders at any time during the testing period, which is generally the three-year period preceding the potential ownership change.

The Company has evaluated its income tax positions and has determined that it does not have any uncertain tax positions. The Company will recognize interest and penalties related to any uncertain tax positions through its income tax expense.

The Company is not presently subject to any income tax audit in any taxing jurisdiction, though all tax years from 2018 on remain open to examination.

The Company recorded a tax benefit of $1,100,120 for the year ended December 31, 2021 related to a full release of its valuation allowance pertaining to the acquisition of H&J (see Note 4). The acquisition of H&J created a deferred tax liability position, and those deferred tax liabilities can be used as a source of income for the Company’s existing deferred tax assets.