Table:
| (In thousands) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Income tax benefit at the US Federal statutory rate | $(2,718) | $(3,654) | $(4,019) |
| Benefit for state taxes | (304) | (642) | (142) |
| Impact of foreign operations | (310) | 38 | 158 |
| Indefinite life assets | 130 | 335 | 102 |
| Officer life insurance | 3 | (5) | (6) |
| Change in valuation allowance | 3,302 | 3,328 | 4,007 |
| Change in liability for unrecognized tax benefits | (400) | 40 | 9 |
| Impact of Tax Act, net | 226 | (3,287) | — |
| Meals and entertainment | 60 | 81 | 163 |
| Equity | 2 | 476 | — |
| Global intangible low-taxed income | 94 | — | — |
| Other | 136 | 39 | (36) |
| Total income tax expense (benefit) | $221 | $(3,251) | $236 |
Paragraphs:
The following table presents the principal components of the difference between the effective tax rate to the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate for the years ended March 31:
During fiscal 2018, we recorded a provisional tax benefit of approximately $3.3 million as a result of the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act") on December 22, 2017.
We completed the accounting for the Tax Act during Q3 fiscal 2019 and recorded an adjustment on December 31, 2018 of $0.2 million to increase our deferred tax liability associated with certain indefinite lived intangibles. We have elected to account for global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) inclusions in the period in which they are incurred.
Our tax provision includes a provision for income taxes in certain foreign jurisdictions where subsidiaries are profitable, but only a minimal benefit is reflected related to U.S. and certain foreign tax losses due to the uncertainty of the ultimate realization of future benefits from these losses.
The 2019 tax provision results primarily from foreign tax expense, the reversal of reserves for uncertain tax positions and the completion of our accounting for the Tax Act. The 2019 tax provision differs from the statutory rate primarily due to the recognition of net operating losses as deferred tax assets, which were offset by increases in the valuation allowance, state taxes and other U.S. permanent book to tax differences.
The 2018 tax provision primarily results from a reduction in the deferred rate and the ability to offset indefinite lived deferred tax liabilities with certain deferred tax assets due to passage of the Tax Act. The 2018 effective rate differs from the statutory rate primarily due to the impact of the Tax Act, recognition of net operating losses as deferred tax assets, which were offset by increases in the valuation allowance, certain foreign and state tax effects including a benefit of $0.4 million related to a settlement with the California Franchise Tax Board and other U.S. permanent book to tax differences.
The 2017 tax provision primarily results from state taxes, taxes withheld in foreign jurisdictions and foreign tax expense. The 2017 tax provision differs from the statutory rate primarily due to the recognition of net operating losses as deferred tax assets, which were offset by increases in the valuation allowance, state taxes and other U.S. permanent book to tax differences.
Question:
What was the increase / (decrease) in the benefit for state taxes from 2018 to 2019?
Answer: -304 - (- 642) = 338