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SEPTEMBER 2025 VOLUME 9, ISSUE 9
TOPH’S TAX RESOLUTION TIMES
513-513-8674 WWW.513TAX.COM
Toph Tries Again for the U.S. Open SPOILER ALERT: HE’S STILL NOT IN
Every year for the majority of the last two decades, I have tried to qualify for the U.S. Open. As readers of this newsletter know, I have gone down in flames every time. This year, I showed up again for the qualifying round, full of hope. Maybe this would be my year! As usual, I faced plenty of obstacles. I had played only two times since last fall. With six kids, springtime sports and activities, and a busy tax-resolution practice to run, I had no time to practice at the driving range or even on my putting green at home. I was late signing up and almost missed my chance to play. Luckily, Traditions Golf Club in northern Kentucky, where I’m a member, was holding a qualifier this year, and I was able to sign up there. I scraped by another hurdle when I tweaked my back a couple of days before the tournament. Fortunately, it loosened up after icing and rest.
Another Spoiler - photo not from the U.S. Open Qualifier!
And as always, I was excited about competing — just like the other 10,201 golfers nationwide who were also battling for a toehold in The Big One.
A lot of people ask me, “Why do you keep playing in the qualifying tournaments when you’re playing so poorly?” I would give up if I thought I couldn’t do it. But I don’t think that. There is no part of me that thinks I can’t hit the shots, that I can’t play well, that I can’t compete. I still had flashes during this tournament when I knew I could still hit the shots I needed to hit. I have all the physical tools to put up some good rounds. The reality is, I have a huge mental block. Year after year, I have gotten off to a horrendous start. Last year, I 3-putted the first three holes — and that was one of my better starts. Right out of the gate, I am just hitting this huge mental block.
When I finally got out on the course, however, it was a total disaster. A bloodbath. A terrible day.
I shot a 9 on the first hole — a Par 4 — so I was at a plus-5 right out of the gate. I was completely flustered. It’s almost impossible to recover from a start like that. On the first nine holes, I ended up carding three double bogeys for a score of 47 — 11 over par. If you shoot a 47 on the first nine, you have to wonder how much more embarrassing it is going to get.
But you know what Winston Churchill said: “When you’re going through hell, keep going.”
Even with so little practice, of course, I should have performed better. I’m not one for moral victories. It was a terrible day. I have no excuses.
I pulled myself together and managed to turn it around on the second nine, birdying the 17th hole and shooting a 37, or 1 over par. I was really proud that I didn’t give up and managed to regain some respectability. It’s a lot easier to play when there’s no pressure and you have nothing to lose. At that point, you’re playing for pride. I finished 12 over par — a long way from dead last among about 80 golfers in that qualifier, but not an outcome I’m proud of. (The winner scored a 4-under.)
I may not be mentally strong enough yet to overcome those demons, but I’m hoping that one day I will! Until then, I am still passionate about my lifelong goal. And I have every intention of going out there and trying again next year!
–Toph Sheldon
DON’T LIVE IN FEAR - TOPH IS HERE!
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The stress of holiday road trips can tempt any parent to let their kids zone out in front of a screen, but don’t give in! To prevent bored youngsters from disappearing into their tablets or phones during long drives, consider healthier modes of entertainment, such as audiobooks. Unlike passive entertainment media such as movies and video games, audiobooks can accelerate a child’s reading ability by making more complex language accessible. Also, the whole family can enjoy listening to a good audiobook — even sitting in separate seats in a moving car! Apps like Libby or Hoopla provide access to audiobooks and ebooks through participating public libraries. Amazon Prime subscribers can access some free audiobooks HIT ‘PLAY’ AND HIT THE ROAD AUDIOBOOKS THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL LOVE
Scoring a Huge Tax Win For a Hard-Pressed Client Toph’s Tax Triumph
through Audible. For suggestions on family fare, ask your local librarian or check out the nonprofit Common Sense Media website for recommended holiday- themed books. For elementary school children, consider “The Snow Queen,” a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.
Sometimes, you take a calculated risk for a hard-pressed client and hope for the best. In a recent case on behalf of a real estate agent who lives paycheck to paycheck, we were delighted to win an 85% reduction in her tax bill! Our client was a self-employed real estate agent who also had a small amount of W-2 income from a salary. She had been making about $2,000–$10,000 a year from 2012 through 2023 but hadn’t been paying taxes. She came to us after the IRS hit her with a $55,000 tax bill — a crippling debt for a taxpayer in her position. She was making just enough to get by and still living with this tax bill hanging over her head. As a first step, our associate, Mandi, who took the lead on this case, brought her into compliance with the IRS by paying her quarterly taxes for 2024. Then we made a lowball offer in compromise of $100. Although the agency threatened to reject any compromise, Mandi persuaded them to tentatively agree to a settlement of $8,200. Our client was ecstatic. In another twist, Mandi and I realized the IRS had made a mistake in their calculations and technically shouldn’t have agreed to the $8,200 settlement. We went ahead and sent in the paperwork anyway. This time around, agency officials rejected the settlement they had previously accepted. Although we were concerned that the IRS might catch their mistake if we pressed the issue, we appealed the decision based on the $8,200 offer in compromise, pointing out that the IRS had already agreed to settle the case. To our delight, the IRS signed off this time around and accepted it! The case is a great example of how the tax resolution process is seldom a black-and-white matter. There are enough gray areas that strategic thinking is sometimes required. Although this case looked several times as if it was going off the rails, we used our best judgment and did what we thought would produce the best outcome for our client. Fortunately, the result has given her a fresh start!
This classic story of a girl saving her friend from danger, read by
Julia Whelan, will inspire listeners with its lessons about fidelity and courage. Another classic is “The Cricket in Times Square” by George Selden. Read
with dazzling energy by “Monk” actor Tony Shalhoub, this tale of a streetwise city mouse encountering a country cricket in a New York subway station is an engaging, easy listen. For tweens, “The Mother-Daughter Book Club, Book 5” by Heather Vogel Frederick tells of five book club members setting out on holiday trips from the tropics to the Alps. Of course, numerous disasters befall them before the book’s satisfying ending! Another Christmas-themed winner is “Nickel Bay Nick” by Blair Jackson, a coming-of-age novel about a troublemaking 11-year-old boy who gets a chance to redeem himself when a mysterious neighbor blackmails him to perform acts of charity in their down-and-out town. And “Juniper’s Christmas” by Eoin Colfer is a Christmas adventure about 11-year-old Juniper Lane, who is accidentally exposed to North Pole magic after she asks for help from a mysterious woodsman living in a nearby park. As you listen, you can enjoy knowing that in addition to entertaining the family, you are stimulating your child’s imagination and language ability as they visualize the people and places in these delightful stories.
–Toph Sheldon
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ASHLEY’S CORNER Sand, Sun, and Fun: Our Big Family Beach Bash
On World Tourism Day every September, the nation celebrates the joys of global travel. But I didn’t have to go any farther this summer than Kiawah Island in South Carolina to have a great time with our family. Kiawah Island is a gated community, and one thing I love about it is that after we arrive, I don’t have to get in the car anymore. We parked the car in the driveway and never drove again. Talk about freedom! We rode bikes to the beach, with the younger kids in trailers and bike seats. Every morning I would get up early with the kiddos and take them biking to the beach or a pond nearby to spot all the alligators. The kids were so entertained riding the bikes, and it’s good exercise, too. It makes everybody happy. This is the second year we’ve stayed at the same house on the island. We went with Toph’s parents and with his sister, her long-term boyfriend, and their two kids — Wilder, who is about the same age as Kip, and their baby. We stayed in the guest house, and the rest of the family stayed in the main house, with a pool in between. It was a really great layout. The kids loved it.
on their own, exploring a nearby marsh. My brother-in-law took them fishing, and the boys thought that was really cool. At the end of the day, we
would all eat dinner together and hang out, swimming in the pool or watching the sunset at the beach. It was so relaxing.
Sometimes, you just need to get away. We do fun stuff at home, but it’s not a vacation because the laundry still needs doing. On vacation, I am not thinking about the 300 other things I could be doing. And I’m not getting in the car multiple times a day.
After our arduous 10-hour drive home last year, with 17 stops for potty breaks, I flew home this year with all the kids, while Toph stayed behind to play a round of golf and drive the car home. The kids and I took up the entire Row 9 on the plane, with six seats side-by-side and Nelle sitting on my lap! We were home by noon for lunch — relaxed and with a bunch of great memories.
With extra adults there, we could take turns cooking and manning the fort. We let Mac and Rex have bike adventures
Take a Break
Grilled Teriyaki Flank Steak
Ingredients
Inspired by TheShortOrderCook.com
Marinade •
• • •
1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp ginger powder
2/3 cup red wine • 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari • 1/3 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Meat •
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds • 1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 lbs flank steak
Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. 2. Place the flank steak in a large, rimmed dish. Pour the marinade over the meat. 3. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 15 minutes. Flip and let marinate for another 15 minutes. 4. Preheat grill to 400 F. 5. Add the meat to the grill and cook for 3–5 minutes on each side. Leave the grill lid open to avoid overcooking. 6. For a medium-rare steak, remove from grill at 130 F internally, and for medium, remove at 140 F. 7. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 5–10 minutes. Then, slice against the grain into thin pieces and enjoy!
Solution on Page 4
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Cincinnati Tax Resolution Powered by Toph Sheldon 9200 Montgomery Rd., Ste. 7B Cincinnati, OH 45242
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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INSIDE
1
Toph’s 20-Year Quest to Qualify for the U.S. Open
2
Audiobook Adventures for Family Car Trips We Win an 85% Tax Bill Cut for a Struggling Client Ashley’s Corner: Our Island Escape With the Whole Family Grilled Teriyaki Flank Steak
3
4
IRS Hits Celebrity Couple With Massive Liens
TV PERSONALITY AND EX-NFL HUSBAND TACKLED BY IRS REALITY BITES
The IRS has hit another reality TV star with the government’s version of reality — in the form of a seven-figure tax lien.
and married in 2011. Zolciak-Biermann’s spending behavior has sparked tensions in their on-again-off-again marriage. Friends had warned her that her shopping habits were no longer sustainable on the couple’s income following Biermann’s retirement from the NFL. Biermann, whose NFL contracts paid as much as $1.9 million a year, played eight seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before retiring in 2016. Each partner filed for divorce in 2023, withdrew their petitions, filed again in 2024, and withdrew them again earlier this year. The couple also face liens for Georgia state taxes and unpaid attorney bills, in addition to debt collection lawsuits by their mortgage lender and various credit card issuers, including Target and American Express.
Kim Zolciak-Biermann and her husband, Kroy Biermann, a former defensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, have been flagged by the IRS for more than $1.15 million in back taxes and penalties, according to court documents examined by the Daily Mail. The couple’s financial woes have long been mounting. After their Georgia mansion was sold in a foreclosure proceeding last January for $2.75 million, they rented it for a time, then were evicted in April.
Zolciak-Biermann and her husband’s $1.15 million in IRS liens arise from alleged underpayments of taxes in 2013, 2017, and
Zolciak-Biermann is one of several present or former reality-TV stars with tax troubles, including “Teen Mom” star Leah Messer, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Giudice, and Julie and Todd Chrisley, former stars of “Chrisley Knows Best.”
2018, according to the Daily Mail. Zolciak- Biermann was starring in reality TV shows throughout that period, including “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” from 2008–2012 and a spinoff series with Biermann, “Don’t Be Tardy for the Wedding” (later renamed “Don’t Be Tardy”), from 2012–2020.
Zolciak-Biermann isn’t stepping out of the spotlight yet. She has been appearing in an E! Series entitled “Botched Presents: Plastic Surgery Rewind,” featuring celebrities considering reversing past plastic surgeries to return to a more natural look.
The couple met in 2010 at a “Dancing With the Stars” Atlanta charity event
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DON’T LIVE IN FEAR - TOPH IS HERE!
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