<p>This question is preliminary as my D is only a JR. I have not yet obtained the CSS form but wonder if anyone can help me get a feeling for how it treats things like collectibles one may own. If one owns paintings or matchbox toys or baseball cards or any other collectible which has some value, is that a category of inquiry for the CSS form? This presumes that none of these items are business assets but just personal items collected over time.</p>
<p>I don’t believe the forms ask that question. </p>
<p>(I know one guy who has his life savings in rare comic books.)</p>
<p>One college asks whether you have recently sold any assets, and where the money they went. They are looking for someone who sold stocks and then stashed the cash under a mattress.</p>
<p>No the CSS Profile doesn’t ask that.
Buy “Paying for College Without Going Broke” 2011 Edition. </p>
<p>You can see the FAFSA questions & CSS Profile questions. Great book!</p>
<p>So are you saying if you put all assets in collectibles they won’t matter to Profile colleges?</p>
<p>Is gold a collectible? Vintage cars? What exactly does Profile ask?</p>
<p>The form asks what investments you have. If you have these things as investments, then you would put down their value and how much you owe on them if anything. You can’t just go out and hide your money by turning it into gold coins.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the help! Slumom, I will definitely seek out that book.</p>
<p>It is interesting that this seems to be a gray area where your intent (investment vs collector of things that interest you) is key.</p>
<p>The colleges have a responsibility to do detailed audits of a certain percentage of financial aid applicants, so a person could get caught if they have a safe deposit box full of Krugerands. </p>
<p>Common sense would say that gold and silver is an investment. </p>
<p>Buying a vintage car (especially a British one) is more often a money pit than it is an investment.</p>