(10) Income Taxes

Income tax benefit (expense) consists of:

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Income tax benefit (expense) differs from the amounts computed by applying the applicable U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% as a result of the following:

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For the year ended December 31, 2022, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are primarily due to the nontaxable decrease in the fair value of the indemnification obligation owed to Qurate Retail and tax benefits from the sale of stock of a subsidiary.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are primarily due to a non-deductible litigation settlement and non-deductible executive compensation, partially offset by tax benefits from a change in effective tax rate used to measure deferred taxes on certain Charter shares.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the significant reconciling item, as noted in the table above, is primarily the result of a change in the effective state tax rate used to measure deferred taxes due to the Combination.

The tax effects of temporary differences and tax attributes that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:

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The Company’s valuation allowance decreased $6 million in 2022, of which $1 million affected tax expense and $5 million affected equity.

At December 31, 2022, Liberty Broadband had deferred tax assets of $32 million for federal and state net operating losses, interest expense carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. Of the $32 million, $14 million are carryforwards with no expiration. The remaining carryforwards expire at certain future dates. These carryforwards are expected to be utilized prior to expiration, except for $1 million which based on current projections, may expire unused and accordingly are subject to a valuation allowance. The carryforwards that are expected to be utilized begin to expire in 2028.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company had not recorded tax reserves related to unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions.

As of December 31, 2022, Liberty Broadband’s federal tax years prior to 2019 are closed.  However, because Liberty Broadband generated a net operating loss (“NOL”) in 2016, 2017, and 2018, utilization of the NOLs in future years is still subject to adjustment.  The IRS has completed its examination of Liberty Broadband’s 2019 tax year, however, 2019 remains open until the statute of limitations lapses on October 15, 2023.  Liberty Broadband’s 2020 and 2021 tax years are not under IRS examination.  Liberty Broadband’s 2022 tax year is being examined currently as part of the IRS’s Compliance Assurance Process (“CAP”) program.  Because Liberty Broadband’s ownership of Charter is less than the required 80%, Charter is not consolidated with Liberty Broadband for federal income tax purposes. As of December 31, 2022, all GCI tax years prior to 2019 are closed.  However, because GCI generated NOLs in tax years prior to 2019, utilization of the NOLs in future years are subject to adjustment.  GCI Liberty’s 2019, and 2020 tax years are not currently under IRS examination, but remain “open” until the statute of limitations expires on October 15, 2023 and October 15, 2024, respectively.  Prior to the March 9, 2018 GCI Liberty split-off from Qurate Retail, certain GCI Liberty businesses were part of the Qurate Retail, Inc. consolidated federal tax group. Qurate Retail’s tax years prior to 2019 are closed for federal income tax purposes. Various states are currently examining Qurate’s prior years’ state income tax returns.