Building a snowman outside in the cold air is much better than sitting in a warm room with a cellphone for maintaining a child’s physical and mental health in the wintertime. Although most people tend to stay indoors during winter, spending time outside on snowy days can give people of all ages a needed boost. Here are a few interesting facts that show how a winter wonderland can enhance our well-being. The Perks of Outdoor Play Did you know you’re more likely to catch a winter cold if you stay indoors? Although we instinctively huddle in close quarters when temperatures drop, hiding inside makes us more susceptible to germs that thrive in stagnant air. Studies have shown that being cold may trigger our immune systems, which means playing outside in Get Outside, Feel Fantastic! Winter Wonders for Children’s Health
BUSINESS OWNER SAVES $147,000 ON TAXES TOPH’S TAX TRIUMPH
The IRS may be the most aggressive tax-collection agency on the planet, but sometimes, its attempts to squeeze as much money as possible out of taxpayers end in a misfire. That was the outcome of a recent case where a settlement demanded by the IRS from our client would have destroyed his ability to pay the agency anything at all. Our client, an electrical contractor in his mid- 60s, owed about $160,000 in payroll taxes from a previous business he had owned and then shut down. He was still working part time as an independent contractor in a new business and collecting Social Security to supplement his income, but he didn’t have many assets. Basically, he was just getting by. The IRS was still coming after him to recover a portion of those back payroll taxes. Mandi, who spearheaded our work on this case, submitted an offer in compromise about a year ago to settle our client’s debt for $4,700. The IRS rejected the offer, based on the shaky premise that his new business had assets that the agency claimed could be liquidated for more than $130,000, enabling our client — in theory — to pay a big chunk of the tax debt. The problem with that reasoning was that forcing our client to liquidate those assets would also force him to shut down his business and use the proceeds to pay business debt, leaving no net equity in those assets for the IRS to claim. Mandi immediately appealed the decision, with me serving as a sounding board. At an appeals hearing about six months later, the IRS overturned its original decision and offered to settle the debt for $12,216 — less than 8% of the original bill. Mandi saved our client almost $148,000! Successfully settling a case like this requires having long experience and a good understanding of the rules relating to an offer in compromise. Once the IRS realized it would be not only unfair to force our client to liquidate his business assets but also would defeat the agency’s purpose, officials became willing to negotiate. Mandi’s strong advocacy for our client, and her willingness to push back on the IRS’ decision and present a well-documented counter-argument, won this electrical contractor a financial reprieve and a new lease on life. Needless to say, he was ecstatic!
the fresh winter air is often better for a child’s body than snuggling
up in a warm living room.
Getting outside in winter also puts a child’s mind in motion. Although the sight of icicles and one’s breath in
winter are old hat for adults, these seasonal events could inspire wonder and curiosity in young people, allowing them to learn new things about the world. Encouraging your child to design and build the ultimate snowman also stimulates their imaginations far more than watching TV indoors. Winter play also helps keep children’s senses sharp when inclement weather disrupts their usual routines like school and sports. The Dynamic Benefits of Vitamin D Sunlight is one of nature’s greatest gifts to our health, as it provides us with vitamin D. Getting outside when the sun appears on a winter’s day can do wonders for our mood, as increasing our vitamin D levels reduces anxiety and stress. Instead of letting our kids hide in dark rooms on snow days, let them venture outside and receive one of Mother Nature’s easiest cures for the winter blues!
–Toph Sheldon
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