<p>My S is going to be a junior and researching fin aid. I have read alot about home equity affecting your CSS profile. My question is, how do they determine your equity. Our town assessment value for our taxes or what the homes are being sold for in my area? </p>
<p>another question, I read that you are suppose to write what the amounts of your accounts are on the day you fill out your FAFSA, I hear people say it takes days to fill out so how do you make an accurate amount on the day you sign it. Does the CSS also ask these questions because I don't know how you are suppose to assess your 401K, IRA's, stocks for the exact day you sign it.</p>
<p>Our city values homes according to what they are being sold for, but if yours is different, i imagine an equity loan would anticipate resale value.</p>
<p>CSS Profile wants even more info than FAFSA. Each college may ask for a little different info- but mostly income is considered. Also considered is what was put into savings/ retirement accts for the year previous to the year they will be attending.( before tax deductions will be added back into income)</p>
<p>Your balances in your accounts are supposed to be the balances on the day you submit the FAFSA and Profile. So…just put those in last.</p>
<p>I was able to access,every account balance for all of my accounts online the day I planned to complete the FAFSA and profile…and yes…I did them both the same day.</p>
<p>If you have all of the information collected, it does NOT take days to fill out either form. I’ve completed a FAFSA in less than 45 minutes. The first Profile I did took me an hour and a half. But I had all of the information collected before I started. That is the key.</p>