Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Tax

v3.20.1
Income Tax
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax

10. INCOME TAX

[a] On August 2, 2017, OncoGenex completed a reverse takeover with Achieve. OncoGenex changed its name to Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. We are a Delaware incorporated company subject to blended US Federal and state statutory rates for December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 of 21%, 21% and 34%, respectively. For the purposes of estimating the tax rate in effect at the time that deferred tax assets and liabilities are expected to reverse, management uses the furthest out available future tax rate in the applicable jurisdictions.

Income tax expense consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

(In thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2017

 

Income taxes at statutory rates (at a rate of 21% for 2019 and 2018 and 34% for 2017)

 

$

(3,490

)

 

$

(2,664

)

 

$

(4,636

)

Expenses not deducted for tax purposes

 

 

116

 

 

 

70

 

 

 

(174

)

Effect of tax rate changes on deferred tax assets and liabilities

 

 

(13

)

 

 

(1,416

)

 

 

3,158

 

Rate differential on foreign earnings

 

 

(296

)

 

 

(165

)

 

 

314

 

Reduction in benefit of operating losses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reduction in the benefit of other tax attributes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment tax credits

 

 

(84

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

(3,246

)

 

 

4,182

 

 

 

(1,683

)

Book to tax return adjustments

 

 

(75

)

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

Unrecognized tax benefits

 

 

7,192

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reversal of previously accrued taxes due to IRS reassessment

 

 

(221

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(104

)

 

 

(27

)

 

 

(14

)

Income tax expense

 

$

(221

)

 

 

 

 

$

(3,035

)

[b] At December 31, 2019, we have investment tax credits of $2.9 million (2018—$2.6 million) available to reduce future Canadian income taxes otherwise payable. We also have non-capital loss carryforwards of $104.2 million (2018—$123.3 million) available to offset future taxable income in Canada, UK net operating loss carryforwards of $2.7 million (2018—$1.8 million) to offset future taxable income in the UK and federal net operating loss carryforwards of $25.3 million (2018—$17.6 million) to offset future taxable income in the United States.

The investment tax credits and non-capital losses and net operating losses for income tax purposes expire as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US

 

 

Canadian

 

 

UK

 

 

 

Investment

 

 

Net Operating

 

 

Non-capital

 

 

Net Operating

 

 

 

Tax Credits

 

 

Losses

 

 

Losses

 

 

Losses

 

2022

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

244

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2026

 

 

71

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,660

 

 

 

 

2027

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,082

 

 

 

 

2028

 

 

111

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,256

 

 

 

 

2029

 

 

317

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

1,712

 

 

 

 

2030

 

 

346

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

6,770

 

 

 

 

2031

 

 

486

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

12,354

 

 

 

36

 

2032

 

 

363

 

 

 

43

 

 

 

17,278

 

 

 

42

 

2033

 

 

193

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

23,240

 

 

 

54

 

2034

 

 

215

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

17,077

 

 

 

46

 

2035

 

 

122

 

 

 

654

 

 

 

3,112

 

 

 

27

 

2036

 

 

79

 

 

 

611

 

 

 

5,361

 

 

 

58

 

2037

 

 

22

 

 

 

8,763

 

 

 

(5,295

)

 

 

493

 

2038

 

 

202

 

 

 

7,207

 

 

 

(3,179

)

 

 

887

 

2039

 

 

201

 

 

 

7,977

 

 

 

4,785

 

 

 

1,048

 

 

 

$

2,973

 

 

$

25,291

 

 

$

104,213

 

 

$

2,691

 

 

In addition, we have unclaimed tax deductions of approximately $15.5 million related to scientific research and experimental development expenditures available to carry forward indefinitely to reduce Canadian taxable income of future years. We also have research and development tax credits of $0.2 million available to reduce future taxes payable in the United States. The research and development tax credits expire in 2039.

[c] Significant components of our deferred tax assets as of December 31 are shown below (in thousands):

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Deferred tax assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax basis in excess of book value of assets

 

$

891

 

 

$

886

 

Non-capital loss carryforwards

 

 

33,166

 

 

 

37,332

 

Research and development deductions and credits

 

 

6,256

 

 

 

5,707

 

Stock options

 

 

315

 

 

 

171

 

§59(e) Capitalized R&D expenses

 

 

3,501

 

 

 

3,334

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

79

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

181

 

 

 

170

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

44,389

 

 

 

47,600

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(43,875

)

 

 

(47,123

)

Net deferred assets

 

 

514

 

 

 

477

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intangible assets

 

 

 

 

 

(474

)

Right of use assets

 

 

(79

)

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(435

)

 

 

(3

)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(514

)

 

 

(477

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The potential income tax benefits relating to these deferred tax assets have not been recognized in the accounts as their realization did not meet the requirements of “more likely than not” under the liability method of tax allocation. Accordingly, a valuation allowance has been recorded and no net deferred tax assets have been recognized in all jurisdictions as at December 31, 2019.

 

 

[d] Under ASC 740, the benefit of an uncertain tax position that is more likely than not of being sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority must be recognized at the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained. No portion of the benefit of an uncertain tax position may be recognized if the position has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained.

A reconciliation of the unrecognized tax benefits of uncertain tax positions for the year ended December 31, 2019 is as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year ended

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2017

 

Balance at January 1

 

$

717

 

 

$

715

 

 

$

715

 

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year

 

 

7

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

Deductions based on tax positions related to prior years

 

 

 

 

 

(4

)

 

 

 

Balance at December 31

 

$

724

 

 

$

717

 

 

$

715

 

 

As of December 31, 2019, unrecognized benefits of approximately $0.7 million, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate, and would reduce our deferred tax assets.

 

 

 

Our accounting policy is to treat interest and penalties relating to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income taxes. As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 we had no accrued interest and penalties related to income taxes.

We are subject to taxes in Canada, the UK and the U.S. until the applicable statute of limitations expires. Tax audits by their very nature are often complex and can require several years to complete.

 

 

Tax

 

Years open to

Jurisdiction

 

examination

Canada

 

2011 to 2019

United Kingdom

 

2012 to 2019

US

 

2016 to 2019

 

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code, including, but not limited to,

(1) reducing the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 34 percent to 21 percent;
(2) eliminating the corporate alternative minimum tax;
(3) creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense; and
(4) changing rules related to uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards created in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. 

As a result of when the Act was signed into law, our deferred tax assets and liabilities were required to be remeasured using the lower 21% federal rate as of December 31, 2017.