5. Income Taxes

In order to determine the quarterly provision for income taxes, the Company considers the estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on expected annual income and statutory tax rates in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Certain significant or unusual items are separately recognized in the quarter during which they occur and can be a source of variability in the effective tax rates from quarter to quarter.

Income tax benefit was $56,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013, and income tax expense was $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2014, or approximately 4% and 0% of loss before income taxes, respectively.  The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 34% primarily due to state income taxes, foreign income taxes, U.S. federal alternative minimum tax, incentive stock options, and the domestic valuation allowance offsetting most of the statutory rate.

At March 31, 2013 and 2014, the Company had a full valuation allowance against the deferred tax assets of its domestic operations as it believes it is more likely than not that these benefits will not be realized. Significant judgment is required in making this assessment, and it is very difficult to predict when, if ever, the assessment may conclude that the remaining portion of the deferred tax assets are realizable.

The Company files income tax returns in the United States, including various state and local jurisdictions. The Company’s subsidiaries file income tax returns in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China and India. The Company is subject to examination in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, and India as well as various state jurisdictions. As of March 31, 2014, the Company was not under examination by any tax authorities. Tax years beginning in 2010 are subject to examination by tax authorities in the United States, although net operating loss and credit carryforwards from all years are subject to examinations and adjustments for at least three years following the year in which the attributes are used. Tax years beginning in 2011 are subject to examination by the taxing authorities in Hong Kong. Tax years beginning in 2012 are subject to examination by the taxing authorities in the United Kingdom, China, and India.