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About

Offering cents and sensibility to families, micro business owners, nonprofit organizations and now writers!

I’m Carol Topp a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) specializing in tax preparation, small/micro business accounting, and nonprofit accounting. I work from my home office in Cincinnati Ohio.  I also enjoy public speaking, writing magazine articles and helping nonprofit organizations.

To contact me, e-mail works best.  You can e-mail me at

Carol@CarolToppCPA.com

I’ll reply back as soon as possible.

Professional Affiliations

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in Ohio since 2000
  • Member of the Ohio Society of CPAs.
  • Member of the National Associations of Tax Professionals
  • Member of the National Associations of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE)

Member of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors

Author

New! Information in a Nutshell: Business Tips and Taxes for Writers. Clear information on unclear topics such as business structure, taxes, record keeping and sales for freelance writers, authors and self-publishers. Publication date June 2011. Read more at TaxesForWriters.com

Micro Business for Teens book series. The first two books, Starting a Micro Business and Running a Micro Business will help a teenager launch a successful micro business.The third book, Money and Taxes in a Micro Business help the business owner to stay successful.  The Micro Business for Teens Workbook accompanies the books and helps a student apply what he or she has learned. Available at MicroBusinessForTeens.com/products



In 2008 I launched my first book, Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out. Homeschool co-ops are groups of homeschooling parents that voluntarily unite together to educate their children. The book is a first-of its kind book to help homeschool leaders interested in starting or running a homeschool co-op.  You can read a sample chapter and order the book at HomeschoolCo-ops.com


Homeschool Organizations

For the last 13 years I have been homeschooling my two daughters. As they got older I expanded my accounting practice and launched a website to help nonprofit homeschool organizations.

Public Speaking

Ever since high school drama, I have enjoyed public speaking. I am a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs Speakers Bureau. I also present workshops on money management, business start up, taxes and budgeting to various community and church groups. Some of my presentations include:

  • Teens and Taxes: Tax laws that apply to teenagers whether employed, self-employed or just earning cash by babysitting.
  • Micro Business for Teens. Record keeping, taxes and making a profit for teenagers starting a micro businesses
    • Hear my interview (8 minutes) in starting a micro business on WDLM Quad Cities here
  • Budget is a Dirty Word: Money management for those that hate to manage money
  • Money and Emotions: Why we get so emotional about our money and how to tame those emotions
  • Wanna be a WAHM (Work at Home Mom)? How to start a home-based business, avoiding WAHM scams, and balancing home and working.
  • Help! My Homeschool Group is Growing. Boards, Budgets and By-laws are discussed in this workshop for group leaders and board members.
  • The IRS and Your Homeschool Group. The pros and cons of 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, tips, helpful resources and checklists.
  • Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out. Starting a homeschool co-op and tips for running a successful, happy co-op.
  • Five Money Myths that Trip Up Homeschoolers: Money, our spending habits, and homeschooling

Please visit my Speaker page for detailed workshop descriptions.

I am available for radio and podcast interviews and workshops.

Please contact me for my fee and booking information.

Magazine Articles

I took a writing class in the winter of 2005 (during tax season, what was I thinking?) and found that I enjoy writing magazine articles including:

  • Pursuing Their Dreams: Career Exploration for High School Students, published in the Spring 2006 issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine and at Crosswalk.com.
  • Organizing a Homeschool Group for Success in the Nov/Dec 2006 issue of Home Education Magazine
  • Building a Strong Homeschool Organization for The Old Schoolhouse magazine Winter 2007
  • Insurance for Homeschool Groups for The Old Schoolhouse magazine Winter 2007 issue
  • Teenagers and Taxes for the National Association of Tax Professionals published August 2007
  • Easy Fund Raisers for Homeschool Groups, the Old Schoolhouse magazine
  • Conflict in a Homeschool Group for  The Old Schoolhouse magazine Winter 2009/10 issue
  • The Best Micro Businesses for Teens for  The Old Schoolhouse magazine Fall 2010 issue
  • New Biz on the Block: Starting a Micro Business in Your Neighborhood, Homeschool Enrichment magazine and Crosswalk.com (read it here). Listen to my radio interview on WDLT on starting a micro business in your neighborhood here.

Community Service

I have served on the boards of several local, non-profit organizations, usually as treasurer or on the finance committee, such as these: