Personal Finance Daily: Do you need to hire a tax pro?

Personal Finance Daily FEBRUARY 14, 2012 Tuesday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: The pros and cons of hiring a tax pro Experts talk down $5 gasoline this summer Emerging markets a safe haven with better returns Succeeding in a 'nothing but Apple' market Corporate tax plan to come soon Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire a professional preparer for your taxes? There are many potential pitfalls lurking in the increasingly complex tax code — mistakes that a pro is likely to avoid. As Eva Rosenberg describes in TaxWatch, a tax adviser also can help long after tax season is over to make sure you don't make decisions that'll end up being costly when the tax bill comes due. Read her story for some startling real-life examples of mistakes taxpayers have made. Plus, read about the prospects for $5-a-gallon gas this summer, and find out how to be a smart investor in a stock market that's dominated by one tech company. I still do my taxes myself using online tax-preparation software. Basically, I'm just stubborn about doing some things myself. — Andrea Coombes , Personal Finance editor The pros and cons of hiring a tax pro This year, the online-filing buzz is about free or nearly free advice. All the major tax-processing firms are offering discussion forums, free calls or tax advice for under $25. Essentially, we don't need no stinkin' tax professional. Or do we? Read more: The pros and cons of hiring a tax pro. Experts talk down $5 gasoline this summer One trader says war with Iran could spark prices at the pump, but the market's also concerned with questions of supply, demand and seasonality. Read more: Experts talk down $5 gasoline this summer. INVESTING Succeeding in a 'nothing but Apple' market Because Apple's stock has risen so much in recent years, and because its weight in some of the major indexes is so large, the shares have proven almost necessary for stock-picking success. Read more: Succeeding in a 'nothing but Apple' market. Emerging markets are a safe haven with better returns Emerging-markets stocks are actually safer than investments where people put most of their money, says Jerome Booth, head of research at Ashmore Investment Management. Read more: Emerging markets are a safe haven with better returns. ECONOMY & POLITICS Corporate tax plan to come soon: Geithner The White House is putting finishing touches on a framework for an overhaul of the corporate tax system, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says. The current system is so riddled with exemptions that tax rates vary widely by industry and even by company. Read more: Corporate tax plan to come soon. Obama tells Xi China needs to show responsibility President Barack Obama tells the likely next leader of China that the fast-growing nation needs to show "increased responsibility" in a meeting so far devoid of fireworks. Read more: Obama tells Xi China needs to show responsibility. Retail sales in U.S. rise 0.4% in January U.S. retail sales show higher spending at department stores, general stores and bars and restaurants in January. Read more: Retail sales in U.S. rise 0.4% in January. Which would you rather be: U.S. or Greece? Greece's decision to impose further economic austerity on the country and Obama's budget, which cuts the deficit but still is solidly stimulative, are a case study in contrasting economic theories. Read more: Which would your rather be: U.S. or Greece? The budget is not enough To take care of the twin objectives of boosting the economy today while reducing the budget deficit tomorrow, we need more than economic policy — we need confidence. Read more: The budget is not enough. Global suicide 2020: We can't feed 10 billion Welcome, you're now on the new "Innovation Saves the World" team. We're working together, searching for positive solutions. Read more: Global suicide 2020: We can't feed 10 billion. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2012 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. MarketWatch, the MarketWatch logo, and BigCharts are registered trademarks of MarketWatch, Inc. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 6/26/07). MarketWatch - Attn: Customer Service, 201 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111