<p>This seems to be a little bit more difficult than the FAFSA. It asks questions about my parent's retirement plans. The CSS asks: "Enter the total current value of this parent's tax-deferred retirement, pension, annuity, and savings plans." Okay, my parent's plans say something like, "you will get this amount when you reach this age" but it doesn't say how much money they have currently. I'm really confused. Neither of my parents know anything about how the whole college process works. Could somebody please explain to me how that whole retirement amount is supposed to be calculated?</p>
<p>The question has to do with accounts they hold in their own names. This is different than the employer pension they will receive at retirement, which is promised to them if they retire from the company but is not in their names. They need to enter the value of retirement accounts like 401(k), 403(b), etc. -if they have any. These are also referred to as supplemental retirement plans.</p>